Hygiene & raw food

When talking about raw food, I am basically always confronted with dog owners that worry about food safety. Given what most people hear about raw feeding, it is very understandable!

But with a few simple precautions, you can keep your kitchen, your family and your dog safe.

Here are my tips:

Follow basic hygiene rules

The same hygiene rules that apply to handling raw meat for human consumption should also be followed for raw dog food. Proper handling significantly reduces risks!

• Wash your hands – Always wash your hands before and after handling the ingredients, especially the animal products. For most people, this is a given as handling those products usually feels a bit yukky and most people want to get rid of it.

• Wash fruits & veggies and cut them BEFORE cutting the animal products – e.g. you are preparing a one-weeks smoothie (fruit/veggie mix) that will stay in the fridge, it is best not to mix the plant materials with any kind of animal products.

• Clean tools thoroughly after use – Wash knives, cutting boards and other tools with very hot water and dish soap. Even better: Put them in a dishwasher. Clean surfaces with hot water and dish soap.

• Exchange clothes/sponges – Regularly exchange dishcloths, sponges and towels (ca. every 2 days). You can also place a damp sponge for two minutes in a microwave to kill most of the bacteria.

  
  

  

  
  

Store properly

• Thaw only when needed – Defrost in the fridge or in a sealed bag in warm water.

• Store separately – After thawing, store animal products in a separate section of the fridge to avoid contamination.

• Use containers – Store food in leak-proof containers to prevent juices.

  
  

Clean up after your dog

After feeding, wash your dog’s bowls and feeding area (usually the floor) with hot, soapy water. If your dog is a messy eater, consider feeding them on a washable mat or floor or (if temperature allows) outdoors to reduce mess.

This is especially relevant if you have small kids, crawling on the floors.

Conclusion

It is usually not necessary to practice excessive hygiene with protective gloves and/or disinfectants. However, if it makes you feel safer or if your individual circumstances require it, you are of course free to do so.

Last but not least: Thanks to then Icelandic authority MAST, the Icelandic animal products are very safe already and contamination is very rare.