b'Cross ContaminationPreventing cross contaminationAny time bacteria from raw food is transferred to a different food, its called cross-contamination. For instance, juice from raw meat may drip onto the counter, be left on the cutting board, or be splattered unto a workers hands or utensils. Then a worker uses the same work space or tools to prepare another food without cleaning, and germs from the raw meat are transferred to that food.A piece of chicken thats chopped on a cutting board will be cooked before its served, effectively killing any germs. A head of lettuce thats chopped on the same cutting board wont be cooked before its eaten, leaving the germs it picked up intact and able to make your customers sick. Always keep ~ meat away from other food.Cleaning & SanitizingBefore you can reuse a cutting board, counter, or other item that has touched raw meat, you have to clean and sanitize it. These are two separate processes.Cleaning refers to removing little particles of dirt and food from surfaces. It involves soap and water, and gets rid of dirt and grime that you can see.Sanitizing refers to using heat or approved chemicals to kill germs. It attacks germs that the eye cant see. It doesnt destroy all germs, as cooking does, but it reduces them to safer levels.66'