What Is Cross Contamination In Cooking?


Cross-contamination is one of the main things that cause foodborne illness. To avoid foodborne illnesses, you have to take some specific precautions. One of the precautions you should take is learning everything about cross-contamination in cooking.
 
Apart from knowing what causes cross-contamination, you should also know how it can be prevented. Cross-contamination involves the transfer of pathogens between food products. The several ways cross-contamination can happen are listed below

  • Addition of contaminated ingredients to food without further cooking
  • Food touches a contaminated surface
  • A contaminated food mixes with a cooked food
  • When someone touches contaminated food and touch a cooked food immediately
  • When a contaminated cloth comes in contact with food.


Pathogens can easily transfer between different foods. It can be when you’re storing, cooking, serving, and the likes. When you know how cross-contamination works, you have solved half of the problem.

How to Avoid Cross-Contamination

Cross-contamination occurs when one consumes dangerous microorganisms. It can be bacteria, parasites, viruses, or fungi. More than 40 microorganisms can cause foodborne illnesses. Out of that 40, six of them are more contagious than the others. The six are Shigella, Salmonella, and Hepatitis A, Salmonella Tyoshi, and Shiga toxin. If anybody was diagnosed with any one of them, the person must be treated well and isolated till the doctor decides the person can return.

To avoid cross-contamination, you have to study how the four pathogens operate

1. Bacteria

For bacteria to grow, six conditions must be present. The conditions are food, temperature, oxygen, acidity, time, and moisture.  To stop bacteria from growing, you have to handle two of those conditions. They are time and temperature. Ensure that the temperature of your food never reaches the temperature danger zone.

 2. Parasites

They can be found in seafood, produce, and the likes. For parasites to live, they need a host. To avoid food with parasites, ensure that you only purchase from reliable suppliers.

3. Viruses

Just like parasites, viruses require a host to survive. That is why humans are the ones that transfer them. One can get a virus by coming in contact with food or a contaminated object. If you have good personal hygiene, you can easily avoid viruses.

4. Toxins

They are found in plants, seafood, and the likes. Common types of toxins are Histamine, ciguatera
 
And the likes. You can avoid them by ensuring that all seafood products are gotten from suppliers with a good reputation.

Home fires provide products such as wood and gas fireplaces, premium barbeques, outdoor kitchens, and ceiling fans. If you’re confused about the right product to purchase, their experienced staff will offer you professional advice and suggest a product that will fit your requirements. For more information, you can contact us on 02 9820 5099 or visit Home fires.

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