Which of the following is NOT a type of cross-contamination?

The reasoning for selecting "Food-to-water" as the option that does NOT represent a type of cross-contamination lies in the nature of these interactions. Cross-contamination refers to the transfer of harmful bacteria or substances from one surface or food item to another.

In typical scenarios of cross-contamination, equipment (such as cutting boards and utensils) can transfer pathogens from their surface to the food being prepared (equipment-to-food). Similarly, people can contaminate food through improper handling practices, such as not washing hands (people-to-food). Additionally, food can transfer contaminants to other food items, particularly in situations where raw foods touch ready-to-eat foods (food-to-food).

However, while food-to-water interactions can occur, they are not conventionally classified as cross-contamination in food safety practices. This is primarily because water acts as a cleaning agent rather than a direct medium of contamination transfer in a food preparation context. Thus, the option "Food-to-water" is identified as NOT a traditional type of cross-contamination when considering established food safety principles.