Surfaces That Touch Food Are Called: Understanding Food Contact Surfaces and How to Keep Them Safe

When it comes to food safety and hygiene, one of the most important things is to understand how the surfaces interact with the food we consume. 

And those surfaces that touch food are called food-contact surfaces, and since these tools play a very important role in directly keeping the food safe, it’s important to understand what they are and how to maintain them properly.

Whether you work in a home kitchen or in a commercial kitchen, the food often comes in direct contact with lots of surfaces like countertops, cutting board, utensils, preparation tables, etc. 

So basically anything that touches food during cooking, handling, or storage is qualified as a food contact surface.

And that’s the reason why the FDA and the local food safety department often ask about this question. 

So, if you’re preparing for a food safety, servsafe exam or certification course, you’re likely to come across this question. 

First, let’s take a look at the quick quiz-style question:

Surfaces that touch food are called what? 

A. Cooking zones
B. Cleaning stations
C. Food contact surfaces
D. Cold storage units

Correct Answer: C. Food contact surfaces

This is the correct answer because this term specifically refers to the surfaces that touch food directly. 

And if they are not cleaned or sanitized properly, they can easily contaminate the food. 

In this article, we’ll understand what surfaces that touch food are called, and also go over the important guidelines that should be followed to avoid unnecessary issues and maintain a safe, hygienic environment.

See also:

• How Should Trash And Recyclables Be Stored
• A Cutting Board Is Washed In Detergent And Then Rinse
• What Is The Maximum Cold Holding Temperature Allowed For Shredded Lettuce

Surfaces That Touch Food Are Called

In the food safety terminology, surfaces that touch food are called “food contact surfaces”. 

And those food contact surfaces include tools or equipment like cutting boards, knives, countertops, preparation tables, etc, that directly come in touch with the food during food preparation and storage.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the health safety department often ask this question in their food safety exams or certification courses like ServSafe. 

It guides them to evaluate an individual on various parameters. 

Food contact surfaces are critical to maintain food safety and hygiene, whether it’s your home kitchen or a large scale commercial kitchen.  

Let’s look at the quiz question that we talked about previously:

“Surfaces that touch food are called what?”

A) Cooking zones

B) Cleaning stations

C) Food contact surfaces

D) Cold storage units

Correct Answer: C) Food contact surfaces

“Food contact surfaces” refers to any surface that comes into direct contact with food while preparation, cooking, or serving. 

And it’s really important for these food contact surfaces to be cleaned and sanitized properly. 

If not, they can easily transfer bacteria, allergens, or other harmful substances into the food, which will eventually lead to health-related issues. 

As for the other options, cooking zones, cleaning stations, or storage units, they all have their own designated tasks. 

These areas only support cooking, cleaning, and storage of food, while food contact surfaces are the main element that food first comes in direct contact with.

Common Examples of Food Contact Surfaces

Having a proper understanding of food contact surfaces is very necessary as they come in direct contact with the food. 

These surfaces can harbor harmful bacteria or pathogens if they are not cleaned and sanitized properly. 

Regular cleaning, proper sanitizing, and routine inspection of these food contact surfaces plays a very crucial part in preventing foodborne illnesses and maintaining a safe kitchen environment. 

In this section, we are going to discuss what those surfaces that touch food are, and how to maintain them.

Cutting Boards

A cutting board is one of the most-used items in the kitchen. It is used in generally every purpose starting from washing food items to cutting; every process is done on it. 

Due to this, it becomes a prime area for bacteria and germs to flourish. 

So to keep it clean and food hygienic, it’s necessary to wash and sanitize the cutting board after every use, or you can use different boards for different purposes.

Kitchen Utensils

Spoons, tongs, spatulas, all these utensils are used daily at both home and restaurants. Grease, sticky particles, build up fast on these tools and lead to contamination. 

If these items are not properly cleaned and sanitized, then they will lead to serious health-related issues. 

It also affects your public image, as if you’re using dirty and unhygienic utensils, they will surely be red flagged by the health inspector and could lead to serious legal issues. 

Countertops and Prep Tables

When we talk about the cooking platforms or table, these are the most vulnerable and exposed areas to potential food contamination, and if we don’t handle these areas with proper care and hygiene, then it would turn out to be disastrous. 

Whether it’s granite or stainless steel, this is very important to keep these spots contamination-free. 

Raw meat juices, vegetable scraps, or even bread crumbs can cling to the surface. This would turn that platform into a breeding ground for many harmful pests and bacteria. 

Slicers, Mixers, and Grinders

These are the most used heavy-duty tools inside a commercial kitchen. 

They are used to make the daily operations inside the kitchen easier and smoother, but as they are used daily, they are more exposed to the potential chances of contamination and infection. 

So to prevent food items that are coming in contact with these tools from contamination, it is necessary of daily wash and sanitizes these tools properly daily to regulate these unnecessary issues. 

Food Storage Containers and Lids

In the context of storage and storage conditions, it is one of the biggest concerns for a person who is involved in food or a food business. 

The biggest challenge that commercial and home kitchens have is wrong storage and conditions. 

Containers that look clean from the outside should never be considered to be completely bacteria and pathogen-free. 

The lids, seals, and edges can retain bacteria, especially when used for raw proteins or oily foods. 

So to prevent these unwanted issues, we have to clean food storage containers on a regular basis and keep them in a suitable place and conditions. 

Serving Trays and Plates

In a restaurant or hotel business, proper and hygienic plating and trays always lead to a good public image. 

But if these critical items are not clean and hygienic, then it will not only affect your public image but also affect the health of the customers. 

Focus on the quality and conditions of serving trays and plates, as it can lead to major legal issues, or in worse cases, suspension of license. 

Standards and Regulations For Food Contact Surfaces

In the food industry, maintaining standards and regulations are considered very important. As for the food contact surfaces, they need to be smooth, durable, and non-reactive. 

In commercial kitchens, stainless steel, particularly grades 304, 316, and 430, is mainly used because it provides resistance against corrosion and contamination, and is easy to sanitize. 

While home kitchens, common food grade plastics, ceramics, and tempered glass are good for use.

Porous surfaces or platform-like unsealed wood or stone surfaces have the properties of trapping the moisture content that helps bacteria to grow. 

That’s why in many health codes and Servsafe guidelines, there is a certain method of cleaning and drying these surfaces. 

You can read more about food contact surfaces and how to maintain them here in this Servsafe pdf.

How to Maintain Food-Contact Surfaces?

Maintaining food contact surfaces is extremely important for preventing cross contamination and keeping the food safe. 

Anything that comes in direct contact with food, like knives, countertops, preparation tables, utensils etc, must be kept cleaned, sanitized, and in good condition.

And maintaining the surfaces that touch food doesn’t mean, just wipe it and it’s done. It includes thorough cleaning, sanitization, regular inspections, while following food safety guidelines.

Below we have created a structured approach that can help both food businesses and households to minimize the risk of health problems and also maintain a food safe environment.

Routine Cleaning and Sanitizing

Food contact surfaces should be cleaned after every use. This minimizes the risks of bacterial growth from food build up and cross contamination. 

To maintain clean and hygienic food contact surfaces, it is important that your staff are well-trained and have proper knowledge regarding the correct hygiene process. 

Keeping a proper track of cleaning and sanitization not only helps to maintain a clean and hygienic surrounding but also helps to prevent your from legal issues with the health inspector.

Do Regular Inspections

Routine inspections are not to be taken lightly as they can help you identify wear and tear earlier, to avoid compromising food safety. 

If there are dents, scratches, grooves in the food contact surfaces, they can easily trap bacteria even after proper cleaning.

If you notice signs of discoloration or damage, make sure it’s replaced as soon as possible. And in commercial kitchens, make sure all the food contact surfaces are regularly inspected.

Detecting these problems early can help in reducing the chance of cross contamination and also maintain compliance with food safety regulations and guidelines.

Use Separate Surfaces for Different Foods

Using separate surfaces for different food is a great method of reducing cross contamination from the very start. 

You just assign separate cutting boards, utensils, and all for raw meat, seafood, fruits, vegetables, and other food items.

You can also use color coded boards to make it easier to distinguish between them. 

By using this method, you’re not just following food safety guidelines but also minimize the chances of harmful bacteria transferring to other food items. 

It also helps the staff members to maintain cleanliness and hygiene inside the kitchen.

Use Food Safe Cleaning Agents

One of the best ways to lessen the chances of contamination and other risks is by ensuring they are cleaned properly with food safe cleaning agents. 

Surfaces that come in direct contact with food should be cleaned immediately after use. 

This helps in preventing build up of food particles, grease, and any residue that can help in bacterial growth.

Once the cleaning is done properly, sanitization becomes more effective. 

In commercial kitchens, there are strict cleaning guidelines that are followed to maintain consistency and leave less chances of risking food safety. 

This helps in maintaining hygiene and keeps things manageable for everyone. 

Moisture Control and Store Surfaces Properly

As highlighted earlier, preparation surfaces and platforms are the most vulnerable places inside any kitchen for contamination. 

Even after cleaning, surfaces can become contaminated if cleanliness is not maintained properly. 

Using drying racks, which help to ensure air circulates properly and avoid damp stacking. 

Storage zones or areas should be clean, dry, and separate from nasty and dirty areas or chemicals.

Conclusion

Providing good and hygienic food to customers is always the primary goal of any food business, whether we talk about a restaurant, a hotel, a motel, or a cloud kitchen. 

And if you are preparing to appear in a food safety exam then now you know the answer to this quiz, “surfaces that touch food are called” which is food contact surfaces.

And these food contact surfaces are the most important part of any kitchen safety. 

From the cutting board to utensils to preparation platforms, they all come in direct contact with food so it’s crucial for them to be cleaned properly.

Because every surface that touches the food plays a vital role in maintaining hygiene and preventing contamination. 

It’s our responsibility to maintain clean and hygienic food contact surfaces as they directly affect our health. 

FAQs on Surfaces That Touch Food Are Called