Final answer:
It is false to store and display frozen, commercially packaged raw food with frozen, commercially packaged ready to eat food due to the risk of cross-contamination. Foods should be stored separately to prevent the transfer of bacteria. Proper food storage can also prevent issues such as freezer burn.
Step-by-step explanation:
The practice of storing and displaying frozen, commercially packaged raw food with frozen commercially packaged ready to eat food can pose a cross-contamination risk if not managed properly. The correct answer to whether this practice is okay is false. According to food safety guidelines, raw foods should be stored separately from ready-to-eat foods to prevent any potential transfer of harmful bacteria.
For example, freezing foods does not kill microbes; it simply makes them dormant. They become active again once they begin to thaw. It is essential to store different types of food separately to avoid cross-contamination. Ready-to-eat frozen foods, if contaminated by raw foods that are not yet cooked, could potentially become hazardous since they might be consumed without further cooking to eliminate potential bacteria.
Additionally, even though freezing at temperatures below 18 degrees C (0 degrees F) keeps food safe indefinitely, quality can deteriorate, so proper storage methods should be applied to minimize issues such as freezer burn. Wrap food tightly before freezing to reduce the risk of freezer burn, which is a dehydration process that occurs when food is exposed to air.