Food Safety and Cross Contamination

Food can make use ill in a number of ways. Food poisonings caused mainly by pathogenic (disease producing), but also by chemicals, unwanted objects getting into food and poisons.

When it comes to food safety, there are common themes at each step in the flow of food from purchasing to serving.

This include preventing cross contamination maintaining time and temperature control and assuring that employees are practicing good personal hygiene at all times.

Cross contamination occurs when a bacteria that’s present in one food accidently spreads to another food, usually through improper handling and storage.

For example, Compylobacter jejuni are very common cause of food borne illness. This pathogen is associated with raw poultry an sometimes raw milk. Illness are often caused when cross-contamination between these source and ready to eat foods, such as salads, occurs during food preparation.

Cross contamination can be avoided by:
*Preventing raw and cooked foods touching each other. Never mixed food products when restocking.
*Preventing blood and juices from raw foods dripping onto cooked foods
*Preventing bacteria from being transferred on hands, knives, utensils, chopping boards or work surfaces.
*Properly clean and sanitize utensils, equipment and surfaces.
*Clean and sanitize work areas.
Food Safety and Cross Contamination