Brunch is one of the most popular dining experiences of the moment. It’s that civilised time between breakfast and lunch when many of us are creating a wide array of culinary treats in our kitchens.
We’re also being more adventurous with our food choices. The humble bacon sarnie or the traditional ‘full English breakfast’ have been transcended by all kinds of fabulous and creative dishes. Today, we are influenced by Mediterranean and Greek style cuisine and we are creating dishes which comprise a broad selection of ingredients including avocados, poached eggs, salsa, grilled mushrooms, feta and olives.
Brunch is a lifestyle choice and one to be enjoyed with family and friends – especially on lazy weekend mornings. But many of us may not be aware of the hidden dangers of brunch!
What could possibly go wrong? Well, since the rise in popularity of ‘smashed avocado on toast’ (one of the most popular brunch dishes) – there has also been a significant increase in trips to A&E with hand injuries caused by cutting avocados incorrectly.
The slip of a sharp knife can cause serious damage to tendons and nerves, with many patients requiring stitches and often surgery. This type of injury is becoming so common that it is now widely known in the medical world as ‘avocado hand’.
The British Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) is naturally concerned about the increasing number of avocado-related injuries recorded, and would like to remind people to take a common-sense approach to avoid injuries.
It is evident that the large brown stone in the centre of this trendy fruit is causing the most problems, as the knife can slip around it. Never hold the avocado in the palm of your hand and try to cut it or remove the stone with a knife.
The expert advice is to put the avocado on a flat surface. Place the fruit on a tea towel spread over a chopping board, as this will keep the avocado from slipping.
Hold the avocado still with one hand placed firmly on top of the fruit and cut around the middle of the avocado with a knife.
Next, put the knife down and twist off the top half of the avocado using your hands. Finally, hold the half with the stone still intact and then scoop out the stone with a spoon. Peel off the skin using your hands and slice the peeled avocado carefully on the chopping board or mash with a fork.
Most accidents happen in the kitchen at home. You must always remember that safety comes first, particularly when handling sharp knives.
So, the next time you invite friends or family over for brunch, take extra care to avoid serious injury whilst cutting the ever-popular and wonderfully-delicious avocado. Brunch is a time to enjoy good food and great company – not to be ruined by unnecessary accidents in the kitchen!
The information contained in this article has been created for marketing purposes and is not official guidance and should not be used as a substitute for official food safety, health & safety nor fire safety advice.
Food Alert take no responsibility if the information in the article is used to form part of a safety management system or used to form part of any legal or regulatory compliance for your business. For official guidance and to engage with Food Alert services please do call our team on 020 7244 1900 or email enquiries@foodalert.com