When the health department shows up unannounced at a restaurant, they examine every nook of the kitchen.
But, nearly half the cases of food-borne illness actually happen from eating meals prepared at home.
Would your kitchen pass the same test if the Health Department popped by? The Gattone family wanted to find out.
"I want to see how clean my kitchen is," Samantha Gattone said. "I do want to know what I am missing so I do clean that."
Our camera visited the Gattone family as Samantha and little Giovanni were getting ready for lunch.
With his trained eye, Camden County Health Inspector Matt Grochowski got right to work - saying he was giving it the same inspection as if he were in a restaurant.
And although a typical restaurant kitchen is much larger, the same rules apply. The first zone on the inspection list - the kitchen sink.
"So you have soap, hot running water that's at least 90 degrees and you have paper towels," he noted.
Those paper towels are key. Hand towels are one of the dirtiest items in a kitchen, next to a sponge and can spread bacteria.
"Especially if you are working with something like chicken and raw meat," Grochowski said.
Restaurant inspectors also pay close attention to temperature, something that is especially important in our next zone - the refrigerator.
Grochowski noticed there was thermometer, which should be tracking the temperature at 41 degrees or cooler.
Raw meat, cheeses and dairy should be kept chilled at that magic number. That also includes the family's leftovers.
Fortunately, Grochowski said, "Right now it is reading 38 degrees which is in the safe zone."
Also in the fridge, Grochowski says eggs should be kept on the lowest level. The same goes for uncooked meats, where the juices could drip on ready-to-eat foods.
So, the family's fridge gets Grochowski's seal of approval - but when he opens the freezer he spots the first violation.
"The ice scoop is stored within the ice bin," he found.
That's a red flag because the handle is submerged. Contaminated hands can transfer bacteria into your ice, making you sick - so always keep the handle out of the ice.
Grochowski says water and ice dispensers can also pose another health risk
"There tends to be a build up of mold and other type of residue underneath the chute," he said.
We move onto our next zone -- the counter top - a breeding ground for bacteria. He said bleach should be used every time you cook, saying it is "the cheapest and also the best."
Next we open the cabinets and find prescription medication - also violation.
Grochowski says accidents happen, especially in the kitchen - so keep your medicine elsewhere.
That brings us to our final zone - the dishwasher and drying rack! He noted people don't usually was the dish rack, leaving it to build up residue.
Overall, though, Grochowski said the kitchen passed inspection.
FOR MORE: Camden County Health Inspector