This question was prompted by this one on how to clean tools to prevent cross contamination. I wanted to ask it in the comments but realized it might be better as a separate question.
Do I need to be worried about cross contamination if everything is being cooked together? For example, is there a problem if I'm making a stew and I cut the meat and vegetables on the same board with the same knife without washing them in between if I then throw it all into the same pot? I've never really worried about cross contamination between foods that I was going to cook together anyways - is this a serious faux paus?
This mostly applies to foods that were going to be cooked at high temperatures where I figured any bacteria would be killed anyways, like stews, stir frys, or casseroles.