Foodborne IllnessQuestion 23 of 240
A prep cook cuts raw chicken and then, without cleaning, uses the same board and knife to slice tomatoes for a salad. What is this an example of, and why is it dangerous?
a.An allergen concern only, not a pathogen risk
b.Cross-contamination — pathogens from raw poultry transfer to a ready-to-eat food that will not be cooked
c.Time-temperature abuse only
d.Cross-connection — a plumbing hazard
Explanation
This is cross-contamination: pathogens such as Salmonella and Campylobacter from raw chicken transfer via the board and knife to tomatoes that will be eaten without cooking. Preventing it requires separate or cleaned-and-sanitized equipment, color-coded boards, and proper sequencing. Because the salad is not cooked, there is no later kill step to destroy the pathogens.
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