Is My Slow Cooker a Haven for Bacteria?

SPECIAL OFFER: - Limited Time Only!
(The ad below will not display on your printed page)

SAVE EVEN MORE! Say "Yes" to Fitness® Magazine today and get a second year for HALF PRICE – 2 full years (20 issues) for just $15. You also get our new Fitness Band and Total Body Express Band Workout ABSOLUTELY FREE! (U.S. orders only)

Email:

First Name:

Last Name:

Address:

City:

State:

Zip:

100% Money-Back Guarantee: You must be pleased, or you may cancel any time during the life of your subscription and receive a refund on any unserved issues – no questions asked. Fitness® Magazine is currently published 10 times annually – subject to change without notice. Double issues may be published, which count as 2 issues. Applicable sales tax will be added. E-mail address required to access your account and member benefits online. We will not share your e-mail address with anyone. Click here to view our privacy policy.

« Back |

Is My Slow Cooker a Haven for Bacteria?

How to know if your slow cooker is germ-free and safe for use.

By the editors of FITNESS magazine

A. I've heard that my slow cooker is a haven for bacteria. Is it?

A. Not as long as it passes this two-step test. First, check the ceramic insert for cracks that could harbor germs. Next, make sure the appliance keeps food out of the danger zone in which bacteria grow rapidly -- between 40 degrees and 140 degrees. "Older models may not reach high enough temperatures," says food safety expert Missy Cody, PhD, RD, former head of the nutrition division at Georgia State University in Atlanta. Here's how: Fill the cooker halfway with water, put on the lid, and set to low heat. After eight hours, the water should be 185 degrees or higher (check with a food thermometer).

Originally published in FITNESS magazine, November/December 2009.