Under California Retail Food Code §114097, a California facility designing prep zones to prevent cross-contamination should establish which of the following BEST practices?
Explanation
California Retail Food Code HSC §114097 and §114089 require equipment, utensils, and workflow to be designed to prevent cross-contamination between raw animal foods and ready-to-eat foods, and between different categories of raw animal food. The two acceptable strategies are (1) separation in SPACE — dedicated prep zones with their own boards, tongs, knives, sanitizer buckets, and sometimes color-coded uniforms or aprons; and (2) separation in TIME — using the same surface but only after full cleaning and sanitizing between food types (e.g., raw chicken first thing in the morning, full clean and sanitize, then produce). Option A is non-compliant because 'wiping down' is not full clean + sanitize, and wet wiping cloths typically only redistribute pathogens. Option C is the textbook violation. Option D ignores that rinsing in hot tap water is not cleaning (no detergent) and not sanitizing (no chemical or 171°F/30s). The right design also separates in storage (cooler hierarchy), in handwashing (a sink in every zone), and in employee assignment when possible.
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