What is personal hygiene in the context of food safety?

Personal hygiene in the context of food safety refers to the various practices that food handlers must follow to maintain their health and prevent contamination of food. This includes regular hand washing, wearing clean clothing, keeping hair tied back, and avoiding working if sick. Proper personal hygiene is crucial because contamination from food handlers can lead to foodborne illnesses, which can have serious consequences for consumers.

While using gloves, storing food at the right temperature, and cooking food safely are all important aspects of food safety, they do not encompass the broader aspect of personal hygiene, which focuses specifically on the individual behaviors and practices that help protect food from contamination by food handlers themselves. Hence, the correct answer encapsulates the fundamental practices that are essential for ensuring food safety from a personal hygiene standpoint.