cross-contaminates
Transfers unwanted substances
Cross-contaminates means to transfer harmful substances—bacteria, allergens, chemicals—from one thing to another, typically where they shouldn't be.
The term appears most often in food safety contexts: Raw chicken cross-contaminates the cutting board.
It also applies to laboratory work, manufacturing, and any situation where keeping substances separate matters: The technician cross-contaminates samples by reusing pipettes.
Disease-causing microorganisms
- bacteriaNucleus-free single-celled organisms
- virusMicroscopic infectious agent
- transmissionSending of information
- spreadTo distribute widely
vector · carrier · host · outbreak · airborne · droplets · contact · colonization
Representative items for examination
- samplesSmall test portions
- culturesCollective human practices
- reagentsSubstances for chemical analysis
- pipettesLiquid-measuring lab tubes
assays · DNA · PCR · sterile technique · false positive · control group · centrifuge · petri dish
Animal tissue, unheated
- cutting boardSurface for slicing food
- produceMake or manufacture
- salmonellaFoodborne bacterial illness
- E. coliIntestinal rod-shaped bacterium
listeria · kitchen · utensils · surfaces · poultry · seafood · vegetables · foodborne
Water in underground rock
- aquiferGroundwater-bearing geological formation
- runoffExcess water drainage
- leachateLiquid filtered through waste
- soilGround matter for planting
pesticides · heavy metals · landfill · industrial · agricultural · watershed · sediment · plume
pathogens
Disease-causing microorganisms
- bacteriaNucleus-free single-celled organisms
- virusMicroscopic infectious agent
- transmissionSending of information
spread · vector · carrier · host · outbreak · airborne · droplets · contact · colonization · healthcare
specimens
Representative items for examination
- samplesSmall test portions
- culturesCollective human practices
- reagentsSubstances for chemical analysis
pipettes · assays · DNA · PCR · sterile technique · false positive · control group · centrifuge · petri dish · test tubes
raw meat
Animal tissue, unheated
- cutting boardSurface for slicing food
- produceMake or manufacture
- salmonellaFoodborne bacterial illness
E. coli · listeria · kitchen · utensils · surfaces · poultry · seafood · vegetables · foodborne · allergens
groundwater
Water in underground rock
- aquiferGroundwater-bearing geological formation
- runoffExcess water drainage
- leachateLiquid filtered through waste
soil · pesticides · heavy metals · landfill · industrial · agricultural · watershed · sediment · plume · seepage
cross-contaminatessterilizes
Eliminates all microorganisms
purifies · decontaminates · sanitizes · disinfects · cleanses
cross-contaminatesisolates
Keeps separate from others
segregates · separates · quarantines · compartmentalizes · sequesters
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