Which of the following is a common source of cross-contamination?

Using the same knife for raw meat and vegetables is a common source of cross-contamination because it allows harmful bacteria from the raw meat to transfer directly to the vegetables. This can lead to foodborne illnesses if the contaminated vegetables are consumed without proper cooking, as they may harbor pathogens from the meat. Cross-contamination occurs when pathogens or allergens are transferred from one surface or food item to another, and using the same equipment for different food types without proper cleaning and sanitizing facilitates this risky practice. Proper food safety protocols emphasize using separate utensils for raw and ready-to-eat foods to prevent these dangerous transfers.