What is Cross Contamination?

Cross-contamination occurs when food becomes contaminated with hazards from another
source.
• Raw food
• Environment (from water, People, Pests and Pets, Food Waste, effluent etc)
In case of Cholera main source of contamination include waste i.e. sewage if not properly
managed, infected workers through contaminated hands, untreated water, raw food, pests like
flies
Contamination Routes

1.Direct Contamination

When contaminated foods come into Direct contact with uncontaminated Food; e.g.
Storing Cleaned vegetables in the same container as Unclean vegetables
Raw meats dripping juices onto cooked Ready to Eat Foods in the refrigerator
2.Indirect Contamination
When uncontaminated Food becomes contaminated via: Intermediate
Vehicles of Transfer e.g. dirty hands, dirty utensils transferring
contamination to dirty food

MEAURES TO CONTROL CROSS CONTAMINATION

 SEGREGATION
 Place in separate containers in order to avoid cross contamination.
 Prevent food from dripping on other food products.
 Raw food products should be separated from ready-to-eat-food products.
 Always store raw meat, poultry, and fish away from or below other products.
 Store food only in designated areas, never in passageways, changing rooms, utility
rooms, or under other sources of contamination.
 PERSONNEL HYGIENE(PPE,hand wash,no jewellery,report sickness etc)
 CLEANING AND DISINFECTION
 NOT TO REFILL DIRTY PLATES OR USE OF DIRTY EQUIPMENT
 PROPER HANDLING OF UTENSILS WHEN SERVING FOODS
 PROPER HANDLING OF CLEAN UTENSILS
 HYGIENIC HANDLING OF KITCHEN TOWEL
 HYGIENIC STORAGE OF UTENSILS AND EQUIPMENT
 USE OF FOOD GRADE MATERIALS ON ALL FOOD CONTACT SURFACES
 PEST CONTROL