What are the 4 rectifications that prevent cross-contamination in a restaurant kitchen?

The 4 rectifications are: (1) Colour-code cutting boards and knives—red for raw meat, green for vegetables, white for cooked food. (2) Separate rags by colour—one for tables, one for kitchenware, one for fridge; boil and sterilise daily. (3) Store cooked food on top, raw meat at the bottom; seal everything, enforce FIFO, and clean out the fridge weekly. (4) Standardise handwashing—soap and disinfectant at the basin, wash after touching raw food or handling payment.

How do you colour-code cutting boards and knives in a commercial kitchen?

Cutting boards must be separated by colour: red for raw meat, green for vegetables, white for cooked food. Different knives should be assigned to each colour. Put up a public notice and train staff—if boards and knives are misplaced, they must be corrected immediately. This prevents cross-contamination between raw meat and ready-to-eat foods.

What is the standardised handwashing procedure for restaurant staff?

Standardise the handwashing procedure. Hand soap and disinfectant must be next to the basin. Set the rules—staff who touch raw food, or after accepting payment, must wash hands immediately. The shop manager must set the role model and be the first to follow the rules. This prevents hand-borne cross-contamination, especially during summer.

Overlooked Food Safety Habits That Cause Deadly Food Contamination (Part 2)

Overlooked Food Safety Habits That Cause Deadly Food Contamination (Part 2)

Published: 13th October 2026

Video

In this video, we answer:

What are the 4 rectifications that prevent cross-contamination?
How do you colour-code cutting boards and knives?
How do you separate rags to prevent germ transfer?
How should raw and cooked foods be arranged in the fridge?
What is the standardised handwashing procedure?
Why is making it a daily habit the hardest part?
How does the shop manager enforce daily inspection?

Key takeaways

In Part 1, we showed you the 4 dangerous scenes. Now, the 4 rectifications.
Fix 1: Colour-code cutting boards and knives—red for raw meat, green for vegetables, white for cooked food.
Fix 2: Separate rags by colour—one for tables, one for kitchenware, one for fridge. Boil and sterilise daily.
Fix 3: Cooked food on top, raw meat at the bottom. Seal everything. FIFO. Weekly fridge cleanout.
Fix 4: Standardise handwashing. Soap and disinfectant at the basin. Wash after touching raw food or handling payment.
The challenge isn’t the fix—it’s making it a daily habit. Shop manager must lead by example.
90% of food safety risks are not hidden—they’re in plain sight. Fix the 4 scenes, minimise the risk.

Full transcript

Voice Specification: Male, deep, confident, American accent. Speak clearly with a direct, authoritative, and educational tone.

Audio Note: No music, no sound effects. Silent background throughout. Voice only.

[0:00 – 0:12] HOOK

Visual: A clean, organised kitchen. Colour-coded cutting boards. Separate rags. Fridge neatly arranged.

On-Screen Text: “The 4 Rectifications”

Audio: “In Part 1, we showed you the 4 cross-contamination scenes that can shut down your restaurant. Now here are the 4 rectifications. They are simple. The challenge is making them a daily habit.”

[0:12 – 0:35] FIX 1 & 2: CUTTING BOARDS & RAGS

Visual: Red, green, and white cutting boards. Knives colour-matched. Rags separated by colour. Boiling water.

On-Screen Text: “Fix 1: Colour-Code. Fix 2: Separate Rags.”

Audio: “Fix one: Separate cutting boards by colour. Red for raw meat. Green for vegetables. White for cooked food. Different knives for each colour. Put up a public notice. Train staff—if boards are misplaced, correct immediately. Fix two: Separate rags by colour. One for tables, one for kitchenware, one for fridge. Every day after work, wash and sterilise them all. Boil them in hot water.”

[0:35 – 0:55] FIX 3: FRIDGE ARRANGEMENT

Visual: Fridge with cooked food sealed on top, raw meat at the bottom. Labels with expiry dates. FIFO sign.

On-Screen Text: “Fix 3: Cooked on Top, Raw at Bottom”

Audio: “Fix three: Cooked foods and half-prepared ingredients must be sealed tightly and placed on top. Raw meat goes at the lowest level. Every week, clear and tidy the fridge. Put expiry date notices on all foods. Strictly enforce First-In-First-Out. On a fixed day every month, clean out the entire fridge. Throw away all expired items. If the fridge is messy, all your rules and systems will be ruined.”

[0:55 – 1:15] FIX 4: HAND HYGIENE

Visual: Handwashing station with soap and disinfectant. Staff washing hands after handling payment. Shop manager leading by example.

On-Screen Text: “Fix 4: Standardise Handwashing”

Audio: “Fix four: Standardise the handwashing procedure. Hand soap and disinfectant must be next to the basin. Set the rules—staff who touch raw food, or after accepting payment, must wash hands immediately. Shop manager must set the role model and be the first to follow the rules.”

[1:15 – 1:35] MAKING IT A HABIT

Visual: Shop manager taking photos of FOH and BOH. Posting in group chat. Staff signing a daily checklist.

On-Screen Text: “Daily Inspection. Daily Habit.”

Audio: “These 4 rectifications are simple. But the hardest part is making them a daily habit. So after work every day, the shop manager takes photos of the front and back of house, and shares them in the internal group chat. This becomes the daily inspection routine. Over time, it becomes a habit for all staff.”

[1:35 – 1:45] CLOSING

Visual: A clean, safe, busy restaurant. Happy customers.

On-Screen Text: “90% of Food Safety Risks Are in Plain Sight”

Audio: “Remember—90% of food safety risks are not hidden. They are in plain sight. Enforce these 4 rectifications. Minimise the risk. Thank you for watching. Follow for more practical F&B insights.”

End Screen

Visual: “Follow for more F&B insights” text with social media icons.

On-Screen Text: “Follow for more F&B insights.”

Audio: “If this was helpful, share it with your close friends or family who operate a Food and Beverage business, and follow us for more practical F&B business insights.”

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