Which practice is important for preventing cross-contamination?

Keeping raw and cooked foods separate is crucial for preventing cross-contamination because it minimizes the risk of pathogens from raw ingredients, such as meat, transferring to ready-to-eat foods. This practice is a fundamental aspect of food safety that helps ensure that cooked foods remain safe for consumption.

When raw foods are in contact with cooked foods, there is a high likelihood that harmful bacteria can spread, leading to foodborne illnesses. By properly segregating these types of food, you create a safer food preparation environment. This helps in maintaining the integrity of cooked items, reducing the chances of contamination that can occur during food handling processes.

Other choices, while relevant to food safety, do not effectively address the risk of cross-contamination as directly. For example, using the same cutting board for all ingredients would increase the likelihood of transferring harmful bacteria from raw to cooked foods. Serving food without gloves overlooks the importance of hand hygiene in maintaining safe food handling practices. Using only one type of utensil does not facilitate the necessary separation between different stages of food preparation. Therefore, the practice of keeping raw and cooked foods separate stands out as the most effective measure against cross-contamination.