| Myth | Fact | | :--- | :--- | | "It smells fine, so it's safe." | Pathogens (e.g., Salmonella, E. coli) do not change smell or taste. | | "I left pizza out overnight – reheating kills everything." | Some bacteria produce heat-resistant toxins. Reheat won't destroy them. | | "Rinsing raw chicken removes bacteria." | It spreads bacteria via water splashes (up to 3 feet). Only cooking kills it. | | "Plastic cutting boards are safer than wood." | Both can be safe if properly cleaned and sanitised. Deep grooves in either harbor bacteria. |