Which practice is NOT recommended to reduce foodborne bacterial gastroenteritis at home?

• A. Proper cooking to safe temperatures
• B. Prevention of cross-contamination
• C. Hand hygiene
• D. Eating undercooked meats

Answer: (C)

The main idea is how to minimize exposure to harmful bacteria when handling and preparing food at home. The protective practices that consistently reduce risk are cooking foods to safe temperatures, preventing cross-contamination between raw and ready-to-eat foods, and maintaining clean hand hygiene. Eating undercooked meats dramatically increases risk because pathogens such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, and certain E. coli can survive and multiply in meat that isn’t cooked enough. Using a food thermometer to reach safe temperatures (poultry to about 165°F, ground meats to about 160°F, beef/pork/lamb roasts to around 145°F with a short rest, fish to 145°F) helps ensure all bacteria are killed. Avoiding cross-contamination by using separate cutting boards and utensils for raw meat and ready-to-eat foods, cleaning and sanitizing surfaces, and washing hands thoroughly (at least 20 seconds with soap) before handling food and after handling raw meat further lowers the chance of transferring bacteria. Hand hygiene is a key protective step; the one practice to avoid if the goal is to reduce risk is consuming undercooked meats, which keeps bacteria alive and capable of causing illness.