What should a food handler do immediately after cutting raw meat on a cutting board?

After cutting raw meat on a cutting board, it is crucial for the food handler to clean and sanitize the board. This step is essential to prevent cross-contamination. Raw meat can harbor harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli, which can transfer to other foods if proper hygiene is not followed.

Cleaning the cutting board with soap and water removes physical debris and food residues, while sanitizing it with an appropriate food-safe solution reduces the number of bacteria to safe levels. This ensures that any bacteria from the raw meat do not contaminate other foods, especially ready-to-eat items that won’t be cooked before consumption.

Options that suggest putting the board away or giving it to another food handler overlook the immediate need to ensure food safety, as they could inadvertently spread harmful pathogens. Wiping the board with a clean dry cloth does not effectively eliminate contaminants, as merely wiping does not clean and kill bacteria to prevent potential foodborne illness. Therefore, cleaning and sanitizing is the only adequate response to ensure that the cutting board is safe for future use.