Final answer:
Cross-contamination occurs when microbes are transferred from one food to another or between unwashed hands and prep areas, equipment, utensils, or other food. It is important to practice good hygiene and properly clean surfaces and utensils to prevent cross-contamination.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cross-contamination occurs when microbes are transferred from one food to another, or between unwashed hands and prep areas, equipment, utensils, or other food. This can happen directly, such as when raw meat comes into contact with raw fruits and vegetables or bread, or indirectly, such as when a cutting board or knife used to prepare contaminated foods is not properly cleaned before being used to prepare other foods.
For example, if you use a cutting board to prepare raw chicken and then use the same cutting board to slice tomatoes for a salad without cleaning it in between, bacteria from the raw chicken can contaminate the tomatoes and potentially cause illness if the salad is consumed without further cooking.
To prevent cross-contamination, it is important to practice good hygiene, such as washing hands frequently, especially after handling raw meat or fish. Additionally, surfaces and utensils used for preparing raw foods should be properly cleaned before being used for other foods.