How should utensils used for raw meat be cleaned?

When handling raw meat, it is essential to maintain strict hygiene standards to prevent cross-contamination with other foods. The correct approach is to wash, rinse, and sanitize utensils used for raw meat before using them for any other food items. This process ensures that harmful pathogens and bacteria that may be present on raw meat are effectively removed.

Washing with hot water alone does not eliminate all microbes; therefore, rinsing and sanitizing are also crucial steps. Sanitizing reduces the number of pathogens to safe levels, which is vital in a food preparation environment to protect consumers’ health.

In contrast, merely washing utensils with hot water does not ensure they are completely free from bacteria, while using them directly for cooked meats without cleaning poses a serious risk of foodborne illness. Submerging utensils in vinegar may not be effective as a standalone method for sanitization, as vinegar does not kill all harmful bacteria to the extent needed for food safety in a commercial kitchen.