What should you do after touching raw meats?

What should you do after touching raw meats?

• A. Wipe hands on a dry towel
• B. Wash hands after touching raw meats
• C. Continue cooking without washing
• D. Rinse hands with cold water only

Answer: (B)

The important idea is hand hygiene after handling raw meat to stop bacteria from spreading. Raw meat can carry germs, and washing with soap and warm water for about 20 seconds removes those microbes from your hands, reducing the risk of cross-contamination to ready-to-eat foods, utensils, and surfaces. Wiping with a dry towel can smear germs around, and rinsing with cold water alone doesn’t effectively remove oils and microbes. Continuing to cook without washing won’t eliminate contamination on your hands or equipment. So, thorough hand washing is the safest and most reliable step. After washing, dry hands with a clean towel and avoid touching ready-to-eat foods until you’ve cleaned up to prevent spreading anything further.

The important idea is hand hygiene after handling raw meat to stop bacteria from spreading. Raw meat can carry germs, and washing with soap and warm water for about 20 seconds removes those microbes from your hands, reducing the risk of cross-contamination to ready-to-eat foods, utensils, and surfaces. Wiping with a dry towel can smear germs around, and rinsing with cold water alone doesn’t effectively remove oils and microbes. Continuing to cook without washing won’t eliminate contamination on your hands or equipment. So, thorough hand washing is the safest and most reliable step. After washing, dry hands with a clean towel and avoid touching ready-to-eat foods until you’ve cleaned up to prevent spreading anything further.