What is cross-contamination?

Cross-contamination refers specifically to the transfer of harmful bacteria or pathogens from one food item to another, which can occur through various means such as utensils, cutting boards, or hands. This can lead to the contamination of food, increasing the risk of foodborne illnesses.

Understanding cross-contamination is crucial in food safety practices because it highlights the importance of proper food handling techniques to prevent the mixing of raw and cooked foods, or fresh produce with contaminated items. For example, if raw meat juices drip onto vegetables, the vegetables can become contaminated with harmful bacteria like Salmonella or E. coli.

The other options, while related to food safety, do not accurately capture the definition of cross-contamination. For example, the preparation of food without gloves emphasizes personal hygiene rather than the transfer of pathogens between food items. Similarly, cooling foods improperly and improper storage of food address other aspects of food safety that are not directly aligned with the concept of transferring bacteria from one food to another.