Ecology or Ecoli??

ColJack

Gold Member
I use a steamer to do my veg, but I don't put presh water in every time.. is this bad?

the water in the bottom never touches the veg and is boiled to steam before it comes anywhere near them, so I figure that it's only re-heating water over and over and that the boiling should kill any bugs..

I've never had any bad stomachs from doing this since august..

I do wash the drip tray and baskets before every use..
 
surely it's only the same as topping up the kettle to make a cuppa.. you don't empty it every time after you use it..
 
I definately change the water every time I would have thought the water could become stagnant and harbour germs as the veg leaks its juices into also.

Only my opinion but I think its an easy job to empty and put fresh in each time.

I put my steamer in the dishwasher when I ve used it.:D
 
ooooh I clean mine out every time and splash the bottom with vinegar -it stops the veg smell and the lime scale from building up - I just wipe it out and re-fill next time I use it.. -although I also empty my kettle and re-fill it every time too:p
 
Yip I'm another one who always uses fresh water and for the kettle too. There was an article in New Scientist about how if you use the same water boiled twice for a cup of tea, the chemical changes to that water marr the subsequent cups dramatically :)
 
Although I do have an electric steamer on a day to day basis I use my non-electric hob steamer. Cleaned and washed everytime. However, I always did empty the water - never occurred to me to re-use the water. :confused:
 
It makes no difference to coffee! Anyway, if there are any bacteria they'll most likely be killed by the boiling process, but that won't affect any toxins or spores that are released... It's never harmed me though!
 
It might not do you any harm - depends on your constitution! - but I doubt if it is doing your steamer any good.

The steam rises through whatever is being cooked and falls back again as water when it has condensed. I don't see how it can do this without absorbing something from the vegetables. Left to sit in the water container of the steamer it could go slimy, or ferment - anyway, it is not likely to do the mechanism any good at all.
 
there is a drip tray on top of the water resevoir that catches the condensate so it doesn't go into the steam water..
I empty and wash that every time as if I don't, it does indeed go mouldy if left....

it's an electric steamer so the dishwasher isn't a good idea :)
it's also a pain to empty and wash out..
there's usually only about 1/2 inch of water left in the bottom after steaming the veg, and it's topped up to about 2 1/2 inches deep, so it's not all re-used water..

I'm hoping that re-using the water drives off the chlorine and fluorine that's in tap water.. any that's not taken out by the filter anyway..
 
Oooh Coljack, how difficult is it to rinse and refill :D Do you use plastic cutlery and paper plates too :D :D xx
 
for about a year and a half, yes I did... paper plates and plastic cuttlery..
worked out cheaper than buying dishwasher tablets :)

paper plates are no good for gravy though :)
 
Although I do have an electric steamer on a day to day basis I use my non-electric hob steamer. Cleaned and washed everytime. However, I always did empty the water - never occurred to me to re-use the water. :confused:

ooh sorry to hijack but where did you get it from am lookng for a good non electric hob steamer - v small kitchen so not alot of space
 
paper plates are no good for gravy though :)

Haha :D I had no water for days over Christmas and had to use paper plates for Christmas dinner.....cutting a hole through my plate due to the gravy wasn't pleasant! :D xx
 
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