Which practice best prevents cross-contamination in the kitchen?

• A. Reuse cutting boards for all tasks.
• B. Store raw chicken next to ready-to-eat foods.
• C. Ignore color coding.
• D. Wash hands frequently after handling raw chicken and before touching ready-to-eat items.

Answer: (D)

Preventing cross-contamination hinges on stopping bacteria from raw poultry from reaching foods that won’t be cooked. Washing your hands frequently after handling raw chicken and before touching ready-to-eat items is the best safeguard. Soap and warm water for about 20 seconds removes bacteria from your hands, greatly reducing the chance of transferring pathogens to food, utensils, or surfaces. Dry your hands with a clean towel to prevent any remaining moisture from spreading bacteria. This works even better when it's paired with other safety habits, like sanitizing cutting boards between tasks, keeping raw chicken separate from ready-to-eat foods, and using color-coded systems to guide prep. Reusing one cutting board for all tasks, storing raw chicken next to ready-to-eat foods, or ignoring color coding all increase the risk of cross-contamination.