Wash hands, reheat leftovers: doctors’ kitchen hygiene rules to avoid monsoon stomach bugs

Food safety does not end after groceries enter the kitchen, doctors say. Cross-contamination happens when bacteria from raw ingredients spread to cooked food through dirty chopping boards, knives, hands or kitchen surfaces, a risk that rises during the monsoon as humidity speeds up microbial growth.

‘The right way to clean utensils, plates, and cutting boards is with soap and clean water,’ said Dr Vineet Kumar Gupta, senior consultant and unit head of gastroenterology at ShardaCare – Healthcity. Dr Vinay Bhat, associate director of internal medicine at Yashoda Medicity, added that kitchen surfaces and utensils should be kept clean while cooking, and that cooked food should be stored properly and consumed only after reheating.

Handwashing remains one of the simplest and most effective habits against infection, doctors said. Dr Gupta recommended washing hands with soap before meals, while preparing food, and after using the restroom. Dr Bhat expanded on the advice: ‘Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before eating, after using the toilet, after handling pets, and after gardening.’

These habits matter because health experts see a clear seasonal rise in vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach cramps, food poisoning, gastroenteritis, typhoid and hepatitis A during the monsoon months, as rainwater contaminates drinking water sources and uncovered food spoils faster in the humidity. The National Centre for Disease Control has flagged food- and water-borne diseases as a major public health concern in India during the rainy season.

Doctors also recommend boiled, filtered or bottled drinking water, fresh home-cooked meals over street food, and thorough washing of fruits and vegetables. Refrigerating leftovers promptly and reheating them fully before eating further lowers the chances of bacterial growth.

Air Cmde (Dr) Bhaskar Nandi of Sarvodaya Hospital said anyone suffering from diarrhoea or vomiting should stay hydrated and eat light foods, and should see a doctor if they do not recover within a few days or experience high fever or blood in vomit.