During an inspection, an inspector should set a good example by:

Washing hands before the start of an inspection is an essential practice that sets a strong example for hygiene and food safety standards. It demonstrates the importance of proper hand hygiene, which is crucial in preventing the spread of pathogens, especially in food handling environments. This action signals to others that maintaining cleanliness is a priority, fostering a culture of safety and responsibility within food service operations.

In contrast, other behaviors such as sneezing into hands, touching ready-to-eat food with bare hands, or talking while inspecting food could potentially lead to contamination and undermine the seriousness of food safety practices. Each of these actions could compromise the safety and quality of food, making hand washing before the inspection vital in portraying the right message about food safety and sanitation.