26 September 2023 , 19:40
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Air fryers, Crockpots and Instant Pots have made meal prepping more convenient, faster and efficient - and it's no wonder they are trending right now.
If you are lacking inspiration, you can always check social media to find a new recipe that you have never thought about before. And whether you use these pieces of cooking equipment on a regular basis or just on special occasions, it is likely they have made a difference to your cooking habits.
But with convenience also come some risks, and you should always follow the machine's rules to avoid any problems or fire risks. Donald Schaffner, the department chair and extension specialist in food science at Rutgers University, said one common mistake is not checking the temperature of meat - and when it is not cooked properly, it can be dangerous for your health.
Air fryers have become more popular since the pandemic (Getty Images/iStockphoto)The USDA website explains the safe minimum temperatures you should always follow, and Dr Schaffner recommends using a digital meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your meat before you start eating. Kali Kniel, the associate chair of the Department of Animal and Food Sciences at the University of Delaware, said that if chicken is undercooked, there is a potential risk of a person getting sick from salmonella.
He told HuffPost that home cooks should always avoid the temperature danger zone - from 40C to 140C - as in this range, bacteria are likely to multiply and can be dangerous for your health. You should also wash your hands every time before cooking or eating, the expert added.
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Another common mistake is not following your machine's instructions which, Ms Kniel said, is especially true for the Instant Pot or other brands of electric pressure cookers. She explained: "With an Instant Pot ... foods are cooked at high temperatures under pressure. It is important that the [Instant Pot] be allowed to reach temperature under pressure and then when finished cooking, the [Instant Pot] must be vented properly."
Ms Kniel added that Instant Pots also need to be vented properly as they could risk exploding or even burning your hand when you touch them. You should also follow rules in terms of food quantity in your machines, experts say.
You should make sure your food is cooked properly (Stock photo) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)But since many people nowadays get their recipes online and often through social media, there is a risk that some recipe changes could be hazardous, said Angela Anandappa, CEO and founding executive director of Alliance for Advanced Sanitation. She explained that many people on social media often recommend changing the cooking time and temperature when cooking - but this could be dangerous.
The expert also added that using plastic bags in slow cookers can be dangerous, and instructions must always be followed. Ms Anandappa said plastic can migrate into food which is dangerous for your health.
A common mistake many people make is not using appropriate utensils when using these cooking machines. This is especially true if you are cooking for someone who has an allergy or intolerance to food that is being served, or if someone who has a cold puts their dirty spoon in the pot, risking to infect others too.
If not cooked properly, meat can be dangerous for your health (Getty Images/iStockphoto)And Trevor Craig, the corporate director of technical training and consulting at Microbac Laboratories, added that multicookers should never be put away without being properly cleaned. Even if you use a line in your slow cooker, you should still wash it with soap and water, he added.
He explained: "[Make] sure that you treat these as items that you have to clean regularly. You wouldn't reuse the same utensil over and over and over again without cleaning it, but, for some reason, when people use air fryers, they don’t want to clean up that basket."
In 2022, US consumers spent nearly $1billion (£820,674,000) buying air fryers - up 51% from 2019 - according to market research firm The NPD Group. Sales of the cooking appliance have been soaring since 2017, and increased during the pandemic as people cooked more from home.