Food safety

Separate raw food from cooked and ready-to-eat food

Use separate chopping boards and knives; keep cooked or ready-to-eat food above sealed raw meat in the fridge.

Critical safety ruleFood safetySource checked: 2026-08-19

Raw chicken, salad, and cooked chicken sharing a board and knife on the left, and separated raw and covered cooked food with different utensils on the right

Why it matters

Juices from raw meat and seafood can carry bacteria to cooked or ready-to-eat food, utensils, boards, and hands. Food that is not reheated may then make people ill.

Wrong action

Using the same unwashed knife and board for raw meat and salad, or storing raw meat above cooked food in the fridge.

Correct action

Handle and store raw food separately, use designated knives and boards, and wash hands after touching raw ingredients.

What to do

Use separate boards and knives for raw food and cooked or ready-to-eat food.
Keep cooked or ready-to-eat food on upper fridge shelves and sealed raw meat below.
Wash hands with soap after raw food and clean and sanitise contact surfaces.