Cross-contamination happens when a hazard passes from one food, surface or utensil to another food: from raw meat to the salad via the chopping board, from a cloth to clean plates. Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 requires food to be protected against any source of contamination at every stage.
How to prevent it
- Keep raw and cooked apart: covered, and placed so that raw food cannot drip onto food that is ready to eat.
- Boards, knives and surfaces: clean them before moving from a raw food to a ready-to-eat one, or use different ones.
- A kitchen cloth can be an excellent vehicle for contamination: AESAN recommends kitchen paper.
- Use only drinking water, including for washing and preparing food.
Cleaning and disinfection
Premises and equipment must be clean and in good condition. Cleaning removes dirt; disinfection reduces the microorganisms that remain. Clean first, then disinfect, following the business's cleaning plan and the product instructions.
Cleaning products and any non-food substance must be labelled and stored in separate, securely closed containers, away from food. Never in a water or soft-drink bottle.
Waste and pests
- Waste is removed as quickly as possible from areas where there is food and goes into closable containers.
- The business must have procedures against pests (insects, rodents) and keep domestic animals out of places where food is prepared or stored. If you see signs, report them.
Source: Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs (consolidated text), Annex II, Chapters I, V, VI, VII and IX (points 3, 4 and 8) · AESAN, «Preventing food poisoning» (WHO golden rules, in Spanish), rules 6 to 9