Which practice is extremely important in preventing contamination while preparing and serving food?

Proper handwashing is crucial in preventing contamination while preparing and serving food because it effectively removes harmful bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens from the hands. Since hands are often in contact with raw foods, surfaces, and utensils, ensuring they are thoroughly cleaned helps to minimize the risk of transferring contaminants to ready-to-eat foods.

Handwashing should be done at key moments, such as before handling food, after using the restroom, after touching raw meat, and after any activity that may contaminate the hands. It's considered one of the best practices in food safety because it directly impacts the prevention of foodborne illnesses, which can result from the ingestion of contaminated food.

While other practices like proper storage, proper cooking, and proper cooling are also important for food safety, they specifically address different aspects of food management. Proper storage keeps food at safe temperatures and prevents spoilage, proper cooking ensures foods are heated to safe internal temperatures to kill pathogens, and proper cooling manages temperature control to prevent bacteria growth. However, these practices do not have the immediate impact on preventing cross-contamination like handwashing does, making proper handwashing a fundamental aspect of food safety during food preparation and service.