Which practice is essential to avoid cross-contamination?

Keeping raw and cooked foods separate is essential to avoid cross-contamination because it prevents harmful bacteria present in raw foods, especially meats, from coming into contact with foods that are ready to eat. These bacteria can lead to foodborne illnesses if they are transferred to foods that won’t be cooked further.

By maintaining this separation, food safety is enhanced, ensuring that surfaces, utensils, and hands that have come into contact with raw food do not contaminate cooked or ready-to-eat foods. This practice is fundamental in any food handling or preparation environment to ensure the health and safety of consumers.

In comparison, practices like using the same utensils for raw and cooked foods or storing raw meats above ready-to-eat foods directly increase the risk of contamination, making it crucial to adhere to the guideline of keeping raw and cooked foods separate. Cooking all foods at once does not address the risks of cross-contamination during storage and preparation, which is why the focus should remain on preventing any potential transfer of pathogens between raw and ready-to-eat foods.