cross-contaminating
Transferring harmful substances
Cross-contaminating is introducing harmful substances or microbes from one thing to another through contact.
The term appears most often in food safety contexts—using the same cutting board for raw chicken and vegetables risks cross-contaminating the produce with bacteria.
Wash your hands between tasks to avoid cross-contaminating.
The concept extends to any situation where unwanted transfer occurs: cross-contaminating crime scene evidence, cross-contaminating data samples.
Disease-causing microorganisms
- bacteriaNucleus-free single-celled organisms
- virusesSubmicroscopic infectious particles
- microbesMicroscopic living organisms
- transmissionSending of information
spread · infectious · superbug · vector · host · contagion · sepsis · zoonosis
Immune reaction triggers
- raw meatAnimal tissue, unheated
- cutting boardsKitchen prep surfaces
- separationState of being apart
- utensilsTools for eating
kitchen towels · marinade · defrosting · perishables · storage · refrigeration · leftovers · foodborne
Excess water drainage
- effluentDischarged liquid waste
- toxinsHarmful biological substances
- chemicalsManufactured or isolated substances
- wasteUnwanted discarded material
heavy metals · pesticides · bioaccumulation · groundwater · leaching · soil · aquifer · watershed
Small test portions
- specimensRepresentative items for examination
- reagentsSubstances for chemical analysis
- pipettesLiquid-measuring lab tubes
- assaysTests for composition
DNA · PCR · cultures · sterile technique · control groups · false positives · protocols · sequencing
pathogens
Disease-causing microorganisms
- bacteriaNucleus-free single-celled organisms
- virusesSubmicroscopic infectious particles
- microbesMicroscopic living organisms
transmission · spread · infectious · superbug · vector · host · contagion · sepsis · zoonosis · outbreak
allergens
Immune reaction triggers
- raw meatAnimal tissue, unheated
- cutting boardsKitchen prep surfaces
- separationState of being apart
utensils · kitchen towels · marinade · defrosting · perishables · storage · refrigeration · leftovers · foodborne · spoilage
runoff
Excess water drainage
- effluentDischarged liquid waste
- toxinsHarmful biological substances
- chemicalsManufactured or isolated substances
waste · heavy metals · pesticides · bioaccumulation · groundwater · leaching · soil · aquifer · watershed · pollutants
samples
Small test portions
- specimensRepresentative items for examination
- reagentsSubstances for chemical analysis
- pipettesLiquid-measuring lab tubes
assays · DNA · PCR · cultures · sterile technique · control groups · false positives · protocols · sequencing · centrifuge
- contaminationpolluting, contaminating, fouling, tainting, poisoning
cross-contaminatingsterilizing
Destroying all microorganisms
decontaminating · purifying · sanitizing · disinfecting · cleansing
cross-contaminatingisolating
Setting apart from contact
separating · segregating · quarantining · compartmentalizing · sequestering
cross, crossing, crossed, crosses, crosser, crisscross, crosswise, crossroad, crossroads