Cleaning, Sanitising and Cross-Contamination Prevention
Candidates must distinguish cleaning (removing visible dirt, grease and food debris, usually with detergent) from sanitising (reducing microorganisms to safe levels using heat or a chemical sanitiser) and sterilising (destroying all microorganisms, rarely required in food premises). The correct order is clean first, then sanitise - sanitiser cannot penetrate dirt. Two-compartment or three-compartment sink methods and the 'clean-in-place' approach should be understood.
Know the colour-coded chopping board system (commonly red = raw meat, blue = raw fish, green = fruit/vegetables, yellow = cooked meat, brown = vegetables, white = dairy/bakery) - but note colour codes vary by employer, so the principle (separate boards for raw and ready-to-eat) matters more than the colour.
Cross-contamination can be direct (raw meat touching cooked food) or indirect (via hands, utensils, boards, cloths, dripping, or pests). Controls include separating raw and ready-to-eat storage (raw below cooked in the fridge), dedicated equipment, frequent handwashing, and covering food.
Traps: questions ask whether a step is cleaning or sanitising, or test the order of fridge storage (raw at the bottom to prevent drip). Don't assume a sanitiser works on a dirty surface - it doesn't. Also note sanitiser contact time and correct dilution; too strong is not better and can be a chemical hazard.
Rule of thumb: 'Clean, then sanitise, then air-dry.' For fridges: ready-to-eat on top, raw meat and poultry at the bottom.