What should you do to prevent cross-contact with allergens?

• A. Prevent cross-contact and provide alternatives; communicate allergen information using labels and signage
• B. Ignore cross-contact
• C. Share utensils across all foods without cleaning
• D. Only inform customers who ask

Answer: (A)

Preventing cross-contact with allergens means putting proactive controls in place to keep allergen-containing foods separate and making sure customers know what’s in each item. The best approach combines preventing cross-contact, offering safe alternatives, and clearly communicating allergen information. This includes using separate utensils, equipment, and prep areas for allergen-containing items, cleaning and sanitizing between tasks, and storing ingredients so they don’t mix. Labeling dishes and posting allergen information helps customers understand what’s in each item and lets staff provide accurate details without relying on memory.

Ignoring cross-contact or sharing utensils without cleaning directly creates opportunities for allergens to contaminate other foods, while only informing customers who ask places the burden on them and can miss diners who don’t ask or aren’t aware of their needs.