FOODSAFE Cross-Contamination Prevention 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is an example of indirect cross-contamination?
- Raw chicken dripping onto a salad
- A food handler touching raw meat, then touching a doorknob, which another handler touches before preparing a salad (Correct answer)
- Mixing raw and cooked foods on the same plate
- Serving raw oysters to a customer
Correct answer: A food handler touching raw meat, then touching a doorknob, which another handler touches before preparing a salad
Indirect cross-contamination occurs when pathogens are transferred through an intermediary — in this case, the doorknob. The contamination path goes from raw meat to hands to doorknob to another person's hands to food.
Question 2: What is the correct order for storing raw meats in a refrigerator from top to bottom?
- Poultry on top, ground meats in the middle, whole cuts on the bottom
- Ready-to-eat foods on top, then whole cuts of meat, then ground meats, then poultry on the bottom (Correct answer)
- Any order is acceptable as long as they are separated
- Raw meats should not be stored in the refrigerator
Correct answer: Ready-to-eat foods on top, then whole cuts of meat, then ground meats, then poultry on the bottom
The order from top to bottom is: ready-to-eat foods, whole cuts of beef/pork, ground meats, then poultry on the very bottom. This order is based on required cooking temperatures — items needing the highest cooking temperature go lowest.
Question 3: During a busy service, a food handler accidentally splashes raw meat juice onto a nearby container of cooked rice. What should be done?
- Scrape off the top layer of rice and serve the rest
- Discard the contaminated rice, as it has been exposed to raw meat juices containing potential pathogens (Correct answer)
- Heat the rice in the microwave to kill bacteria
- Cover the rice and serve it later
Correct answer: Discard the contaminated rice, as it has been exposed to raw meat juices containing potential pathogens
The rice has been directly contaminated with raw meat juices that may contain Salmonella, E. coli, or other pathogens. Reheating may not destroy all toxins already produced, so the rice must be discarded.
Question 4: Why is it important to keep food covered during storage?
- Only to prevent drying out
- Covering prevents physical contaminants, drips from other foods, and airborne bacteria from contaminating the food (Correct answer)
- Food only needs to be covered during transport
- Covering food is optional in a clean refrigerator
Correct answer: Covering prevents physical contaminants, drips from other foods, and airborne bacteria from contaminating the food
Covering food protects it from multiple contamination sources: drips from items stored above, airborne bacteria, physical contaminants like dust or debris, and cross-contamination from other foods in shared storage areas.
Question 5: A food handler prepares a raw meat marinade. Can the leftover marinade be used as a sauce for the cooked dish?
- Yes, marinades are always safe to reuse
- Only if the marinade is brought to a full rolling boil for at least 1 minute to kill any pathogens from the raw meat (Correct answer)
- Yes, if it tastes fine
- Only if the marinade was refrigerated during use
Correct answer: Only if the marinade is brought to a full rolling boil for at least 1 minute to kill any pathogens from the raw meat
Marinade that has been in contact with raw meat contains pathogens and must be brought to a full rolling boil for at least 1 minute before being used as a sauce. Alternatively, reserve a portion of unused marinade before adding raw meat.
Question 6: What role do food-contact surfaces play in cross-contamination?
- Food-contact surfaces do not harbour bacteria
- Improperly cleaned and sanitized food-contact surfaces can transfer pathogens to every food item that touches them (Correct answer)
- Only wooden surfaces cause cross-contamination
- Food-contact surfaces are only a concern in home kitchens
Correct answer: Improperly cleaned and sanitized food-contact surfaces can transfer pathogens to every food item that touches them
Food-contact surfaces (cutting boards, countertops, utensils, equipment) can harbour bacteria in scratches, cracks, and residue. Without proper cleaning and sanitizing, they become vehicles for transferring pathogens to food.
FOODSAFE Cross-Contamination Prevention 2
Which of the following is an example of indirect cross-contamination?