Which practice supports allergen storage to prevent cross-contact?

• A. Store allergen-containing items separately and away from ready-to-eat foods.
• B. Store allergen-containing items with ready-to-eat foods.
• C. Store all foods at room temperature.
• D. Label only after service.

Answer: (A)

Preventing allergen cross-contact begins with proper storage separation. When allergen-containing items are stored separately and away from ready-to-eat foods, you reduce the chance that allergen proteins will transfer to foods that will not be cooked before eating. Cross-contact can happen through shared shelves, containers, utensils, or even drips and condensation, so keeping allergen items in their own labeled, sealed containers on a separate area or shelf minimizes these pathways. Ready-to-eat foods are especially risky because they don’t undergo cooking that could destroy contaminants, so early separation provides the most effective protection. The other options don’t address this transfer risk: mixing allergen items with ready-to-eat foods increases exposure; storing everything at room temperature is unsafe for general food safety and does not solve allergen transfer; labeling after service misses an opportunity to prevent cross-contact during storage.