When you’re making a slow cooker, it’s easy to leave a ladle in a casserole dish so you can have it on hand. But this small gesture can have unexpected consequences for the quality of your food and even your safety. Before you do, here are five good reasons to think twice.

Reasons why you shouldn’t leave a ladle in the pot while cooking

1. Risk of cross contamination

If you use the   same ladle   to   stir food while it is cooking   and to   taste it  , there is a risk   of transferring bacteria  . This is   especially problematic   if you are cooking   raw meat  or products   with a delicate texture,   such as eggs.

Heat will not always be enough   to   eliminate all germs   if the ladle is regularly dipped in  and out of the container.

2. Change in taste of food

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