What is a key practice to prevent foodborne illnesses?

Regularly sanitizing surfaces and hands is crucial in preventing foodborne illnesses because it helps eliminate harmful pathogens that can contaminate food. In food service, maintaining a clean environment is essential as bacteria and viruses can easily spread through surfaces, equipment, and personal contact.

Effective sanitation practices include cleaning surfaces before and after food preparation, washing hands frequently and thoroughly, and utilizing proper sanitizing solutions for food contact surfaces. This process significantly reduces the risk of cross-contamination, which is a common pathway for foodborne pathogens.

In contrast, cooking food at low temperatures may not kill harmful bacteria effectively, storing food at room temperature can allow dangerous microbes to thrive, and while using plastic utensils can minimize cross-contamination, it does not address the need for sanitizing surfaces and hands directly. Therefore, maintaining cleanliness through regular sanitization is considered one of the most important practices in food safety.