Safe Food Handling Practices and Cross-Contamination Prevention
What the exam tests
This domain tests separation of raw and ready-to-eat food, utensil control, storage layout and workflow design to stop biological and chemical cross-contamination.
Core rules
- Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs separate from cooked and ready-to-eat foods.
- Use separate or colour-coded chopping boards and knives for raw and cooked foods.
- Store raw foods below cooked foods in the refrigerator so drips cannot fall onto ready-to-eat items.
- Never reuse marinade that touched raw meat unless it is boiled first.
- Clean and sanitise surfaces and utensils between tasks. Use separate sinks or a defined order for washing.
- Cover food, use clean utensils for tasting, and keep cleaning chemicals away from food.
Worked example
A worker chops raw chicken on a board, wipes the board with a damp cloth, then slices salad on the same board. The cloth spreads chicken juices onto the salad. Salmonella or Campylobacter can survive on the board and cloth. Correct action: scrape and wash the board with detergent, rinse, sanitise it, let it air-dry, and use a separate board for the salad.
Traps that cost marks
- Wiping a board with a cloth instead of washing and sanitising it.
- Using the same sink for raw meat and salad without cleaning in between.
- Overloading the fridge so raw juices drip onto cooked food.
- Tasting food with a finger or reusing a spoon.
- Assuming a visible clean surface is microbe-free.