Which of the following is NOT a Nontyphoidal Salmonella prevention measure?

• A. Cook all poultry and eggs to minimum internal temperatures
• B. Prevent against cross contamination
• C. Exclude foodhandlers diagnosed with the disease from working
• D. Use unwashed hands to handle ready-to-eat foods

Answer: (D)

Proper practices to prevent nontyphoidal Salmonella focus on killing the bacteria with heat, avoiding cross-contamination, and keeping ill workers away. The option that suggests using unwashed hands is not a safe practice; hands can carry Salmonella from raw poultry or eggs and transfer it to ready-to-eat foods, which may be eaten without further cooking. In contrast, cooking poultry and eggs to safe internal temperatures eliminates these bacteria; preventing cross-contamination stops the transfer between raw and ready-to-eat foods; and excluding food handlers diagnosed with the disease removes a potential source of contamination from the kitchen. So, using unwashed hands is the unsafe choice that does not prevent Salmonella.