What term describes the transfer of bacteria from raw food to cooked or ready-to-eat food?

The term that describes the transfer of bacteria from raw food to cooked or ready-to-eat food is cross contamination. This process can occur during food preparation, cooking, or serving when raw food, such as meat or eggs, comes into contact with food that is already cooked or that will be consumed raw.

Understanding cross contamination is crucial because it highlights the importance of food safety practices. For instance, using separate cutting boards for raw and cooked foods, washing hands and surfaces after handling raw ingredients, and storing food properly can significantly reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses.

In this context, while foodborne illness refers to the sickness caused by consuming contaminated food, and food spoilage pertains to the deterioration of food quality, these terms do not specifically address the mechanism of contamination itself. Pathogen transfer is a broader term that could refer to various ways pathogens can spread but does not capture the specific context of transferring bacteria during food handling. Therefore, cross contamination is the most precise term to describe this specific situation.