Using the same cutting board for raw chicken and ready-to-eat salad without washing is an example of what?

• A. Cross-contact
• B. Cross-contamination
• C. Spoilage
• D. Fermentation

Answer: (B)

Preventing the transfer of harmful microbes from raw foods to ready-to-eat foods through shared surfaces is the idea being tested. Using the same cutting board for raw chicken and ready-to-eat salad without washing allows bacteria from the chicken to stay on the board and then contaminate the salad. This spread of pathogens via a surface or utensil is cross-contamination. It’s distinct from cross-contact, which is about transferring allergens between foods, and from spoilage or fermentation, which describe other microbial processes affecting food quality or safety. To prevent this, use separate cutting boards for raw meat and produce or thoroughly wash and sanitize the board between uses, and practice good hand hygiene.