What are the four key steps to food safety?

The four key steps to food safety are "clean, separate, cook, and chill." This approach is essential for preventing foodborne illnesses and ensuring food is prepared and stored safely.

"Clean" emphasizes the importance of washing hands, surfaces, and utensils to remove contaminants and bacteria that can lead to food poisoning. It's the foundational step that sets the standard for safety in the kitchen.

"Separate" involves keeping raw foods, particularly meats, away from ready-to-eat foods to avoid cross-contamination. This step is crucial in preventing harmful bacteria from spreading to other ingredients.

"Cook" ensures that food is heated to the appropriate temperature to kill harmful pathogens. Different foods have specific minimum internal temperatures that must be reached for them to be safely consumed.

Lastly, "chill" focuses on cooling foods promptly and keeping them at safe temperatures to slow the growth of bacteria. Proper refrigeration and freezing practices are vital to maintaining food safety over time.

Together, these four steps create a comprehensive framework for handling food safely, making this choice the correct answer.