What best practice should be followed when serving food to prevent contamination?

Using clean utensils and avoiding bare hand contact with food is indeed the best practice for preventing contamination when serving food. This approach minimizes the risk of transferring pathogens and bacteria from hands to food. Clean utensils ensure that any contact with food is sanitary, significantly reducing the chances for cross-contamination, especially in environments like kitchens or buffet settings where many different foods are handled.

In contrast, serving food from bulk containers can increase the risk of contamination if proper hygiene practices and utensils are not consistently used. Allowing customers to serve themselves also presents potential hygiene issues since it relies on individuals practicing proper feeding etiquette, which may not always occur. Using recycled utensils might not provide a guarantee of cleanliness, as the recycling process may not always sufficiently sanitize the utensils for safe food service.

Thus, the practice of using clean utensils and avoiding bare hand contact stands out as the most effective measure for ensuring food safety and preventing contamination.