Is cross-contamination really the hardest section on the ServSafe exam?

I've been studying for my servsafe practice test and everyone I talk to says cross-contamination is where most people lose points. I'm trying to understand if that reputation is deserved or if people just struggle because they don't prepare specifically for it.

After going through the chapter multiple times, I think the issue is that cross-contamination questions require you to think in scenarios rather than recall facts. It's not enough to know "raw meat shouldn't touch ready-to-eat food" — the exam asks things like "which of the following is an example of cross-contamination?" and the answer options all sound plausible.

I practiced using the ServSafe cross-contamination practice questions and found that the trickiest scenarios involve indirect contamination — like a chef using the same knife for raw chicken and then salad vegetables without washing in between. Another trap is proper storage order in a walk-in cooler: fish on the bottom, whole cuts above, ground meat above that, RTE on top.

My take: spend equal time on cross-contamination AND foodborne illness. The servsafe certified pass rate is around 70-75%, so lost points add up fast if you skip either chapter.