Here's how it works:
* Raw food: Raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs often carry bacteria.
* Contact: If these raw foods touch other foods, or if utensils, cutting boards, or surfaces that touched raw foods are not properly cleaned before being used with other foods, bacteria can transfer.
* Contamination: This transfer of bacteria from raw food to cooked or ready-to-eat foods can cause foodborne illness.
Examples of cross-contamination:
* Placing cooked chicken on a plate that previously held raw chicken without washing the plate first.
* Using the same knife to cut raw chicken and then vegetables without washing the knife in between.
* Storing raw meat above ready-to-eat foods in the refrigerator, allowing juices from the meat to drip onto the other foods.
Preventing cross-contamination is crucial for food safety:
* Separate: Keep raw meats, poultry, and seafood away from other foods.
* Clean: Wash hands, utensils, cutting boards, and surfaces thoroughly with hot, soapy water after handling raw food.
* Cook: Cook food to the proper internal temperature to kill harmful bacteria.
* Chill: Refrigerate perishable foods promptly.
By following these practices, you can help prevent cross-contamination and keep your food safe.
