High School

Jorge has used the same knife and cutting board to prep tomatoes for over an hour. Should he clean and sanitize them?

Answer :

Final answer:

Yes, Jorge should clean and sanitize his knife and cutting board after using them for over an hour. Regular cleaning and sanitizing of kitchen utensils is critical to prevent the spread of foodborne diseases and cross-contamination, even when handling seemingly low-risk foods like tomatoes.

Explanation:

Yes, Jorge should definitely clean and sanitize his knife and cutting board after using them for over an hour to prep tomatoes. Even though tomatoes may not seem like a high-risk food, it is critical to regularly clean and sanitize kitchen utensils to prevent the spread of foodborne diseases. Further, tomatoes, like other raw vegetables, can have microbes on their surface, which can contaminate his cutting tools.

Also, remember that cleanliness is relative, and in the context of food preparation, the level of cleanliness required is high to prevent potential illness. Going by the principle of 'clean enough' depending on the intended use, using a knife and cutting board for more than an hour without cleaning certainly doesn’t meet that standard, considering the risk of cross-contamination.

It is the same reason why raw foods that commonly contain bacteria, such as eggs, poultry, meat, should never come into contact with ready-to-eat foods without proper cleaning in between. Therefore, regular handwashing, using kitchenware like plastic cutting boards that can be easily sanitized, rotating food and checking expiry dates are all practical ways of ensuring a safe kitchen environment.

Learn more about Food Safety here:

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