What is it?
- Cross-contamination is when bacteria and other harmful germs are passed to our food that is ready to eat
- Cross-contamination causes what are called foodborne illnesses. These can make anyone sick
How does it happen?
- Someone prepares food without washing their hands
- Someone uses a cutting board that has not been cleaned
- Raw meat, poultry or seafood or the juice from these foods get into food that will not be well cooked before being eaten
How can you prevent it?
- Wash your hands with hot soapy water before and after touching food, especially after touching raw meat
- Use separate cutting boards or dishes to cut vegetables and meat
- Clean surfaces and utensils used for cooking with hot soapy water
- Add a small amount of bleach or a disinfectant in the water for extra protection
- Keep foods at safe temperatures to avoid bacteria from growing
- Use one utensil to taste food and another to cook with
Examples to prevent cross-contamination:
- Use different plates for raw meat and cooked meat, like when grilling
- Use separate knives and cutting boards for cutting meats and vegetables
- Clean cooking areas as soon as you finish with them
- Store raw meat below vegetables in the refrigerator when thawing
- Use one utensil to taste and a different utensil to cook
See our post 5 Food Safety Mistakes for more tips on food safety.
