Which of the following is a key hygiene practice to prevent food poisoning?

• A. Effective cleaning and disinfection
• B. Leaving surfaces dirty
• C. Sharing utensils
• D. Not washing hands

Answer: (A)

Effective cleaning and disinfection is the best answer. Cleaning removes dirt, organic matter and many bacteria from surfaces and equipment, lowering the microbial load. Disinfection then kills the remaining microorganisms, reducing the risk of contamination that could cause food poisoning. It’s important to do cleaning first so the disinfectant can work effectively; dirty surfaces can shield microbes and prevent sanitizers from doing their job. In practice, this means washing surfaces with detergent and hot water, rinsing, drying, and then applying an approved sanitizer with the correct contact time.

Other options would increase risk: leaving surfaces dirty allows bacteria to multiply, sharing utensils can spread contaminants, and not washing hands significantly raises the chance of transferring germs to food.