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Keeping raw meat separate (cross-contamination)

Beginner Kitchen basics

Keeping raw meat separate is keeping raw meat, poultry, seafood and their juices away from foods that won't be cooked.

By , founder of Pantry to Pan · Published · Updated

Written with AI help from the sources listed, and published by Cory. Sources: USDA safe minimum internal temperatures, USDA on the danger zone (40-140°F). Spot a mistake? Tell us and we'll fix it.

How do you do it?

  1. Use one cutting board for raw meat and another for produce and cooked food.

    1Use one cutting board for raw meat and another for produce and cooked food.

  2. Wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds after handling raw meat.

    2Wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds after handling raw meat.

  3. Store raw meat on the bottom shelf of the fridge, in a container or on a plate.

    3Store raw meat on the bottom shelf of the fridge, in a container or on a plate.

  4. Never put cooked food back on a plate that held raw meat, and boil used marinade before serving it.

    4Never put cooked food back on a plate that held raw meat, and boil used marinade before serving it.

Why does it work?

Raw meat can carry bacteria like Salmonella. Cooking kills them on the meat, but if its juices reach salad or cooked food, nothing kills them there.

What are the common mistakes?

Still stuck? Watch someone do it on YouTube.

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