What practice is essential for controlling viruses in food safety?

Practicing good hygiene is essential for controlling viruses in food safety because viruses, such as norovirus and hepatitis A, are primarily transmitted from person to person or through contaminated surfaces. Good hygiene practices, such as thorough handwashing, especially after using the restroom or handling raw food, help prevent the transference of viruses from food handlers to food products. Since viruses do not multiply in food, and cooking often cannot eliminate them if they have already contaminated the food, emphasizing good hygiene ensures that food remains safe from these pathogens right from the source.

While using bleach for cleaning, cooking food to high temperatures, and keeping foods separate are important practices for general food safety, they are not specifically aimed at controlling viral contamination as effectively as proper hygiene practices. Clean surfaces and correct cooking temperatures are effective against bacteria, but without good personal hygiene, virus instances may still arise regardless of these measures.