Danger of disgust with fondue and raclette: Federal Institute warns of harmful food germs
Created: 12/23/2022, 4:28 p.m
By: Jannis Gogolin
Fondue and raclette are particularly popular around the turn of the year.
But in order to stay symptom-free in the evening, the party has to pay attention to hygiene.
Munich – Every year, just in time for Christmas or New Year’s Eve, the fondue or raclette is dusted off and prepared for a convivial festive evening.
Beforehand, the hosts cut raw vegetables, meat and lots of cheese into bite-sized chunks to later dip them in a pot full of hot oil, water or cheese or cook them in the table-top oven.
However, care must be taken during the preparation in order not to contaminate the food with disgusting germs and cause health problems for the guests.
Danger of disgust with fondue and raclette: Federal institute advises on hygiene when handling raw products
Before the feast can begin, cutting work is announced.
Potatoes, cheese, broccoli, carrots and various meats should be finely portioned so that they later fit well on the forks or small pans.
But the first step - keyword hygiene - is the most important.
Because when preparing for the raclette or fondue evening, you work with raw meat in addition to vegetables and cheese.
Special hygiene rules apply to this.
You should definitely use separate plates for raw animal products, preferably also separate knives.
Sufficient hygiene must also be ensured when defrosting.
As reported by the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), this is the only way to avoid infections caused by various food germs with imaginative names such as Campylobacter bacteria.
In addition to meat, these pathogens are also found in salad or biscuit dough, as the Federal Office for Consumer Protection recently warned.
Raw animal products are home to disgusting inhabitants - hygiene is particularly important
In addition to raw meat, the carriers also include raw chicken eggs and raw milk.
Chicken meat offers the bacteria a particularly good basis for life.
Knives, cutlery, plates or work surfaces that have come into contact with the raw products should under no circumstances be touched by food that is already ready to be eaten.
Otherwise there could be contamination with the food germs.
Afterwards, the kitchen surfaces, cooking utensils and especially your own hands should be thoroughly cleaned, according to the BfR.
Tips for preparation: At least 70 degrees Celsius in the fondue or raclette oven
In order to safely prepare raw meat, the party should ensure that the meat is thoroughly cooked.
The BfR advises: at least two minutes at a core temperature of 70 degrees Celsius.
Because even in small amounts, the germs trigger diarrhea and sometimes severe abdominal cramps when consumed.
In more severe cases, there is fever, headache and muscle pain.
Those affected usually heal on their own, but the evening is certainly spoiled.
(dpa)