Cross-contamination

How it is used

A key term in food safety training and inspections. Kitchens prevent it with colour-coded boards and knives, separate storage (raw below cooked), hand washing and cleaning between tasks. Allergen cross-contact is the same problem with allergens.

Example sentences

1. Store raw meat on the bottom shelf to avoid cross-contamination.

2. The inspector was worried about cross-contamination between the raw fish and the sushi rice.

Common collocations

• prevent cross-contamination
• risk of cross-contamination
• avoid cross-contamination
• allergen cross-contamination

Related terms

• cutting boardA flat board made of plastic or wood on which food is cut. Professional kitchens often use boards of different colours for different types of food.
• allergenA substance in food, such as nuts, milk, eggs, gluten or shellfish, that can cause an allergic reaction in some people.
• sanitizeTo reduce the number of germs on a clean surface or piece of equipment to a safe level, using heat or a chemical product called a sanitizer.
• HACCPHazard Analysis and Critical Control Points: a food safety system that identifies the points where food could become unsafe and sets checks and limits to control them.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

• cross-contamination · Food Science & Technology

More terms: Food Safety & Hygiene

• danger zone
• FIFO
• use-by date
• core temperature
• thaw
• foodborne illness