Hello...I was worried about similar things when I started raw, but to be honest I have no issues or worries what so ever anymore. As long as you take the right precautions, you will be fine. Yes, it is very much like preparing meals for us.
I make sure I do a few things to be safe:
-I use individual small little containers to defrost medallions individually.
-I wash my hands after handling frozen raw or defrosted raw with HOT soapy water.
-I always serve defrosted raw in a stainless steel dish. It is supposed to be most hygienic.
-I defrost a few days a time so I don't have to handle it on an everyday basis.
-As soon as Snick is done eating, I wash everything (dish, container, lid, knife) with HOT water and dish washing soap.
-I wipe Snicks face with a warm baby wipe after he eats.
I'm probably forgetting a few but I'm sure the others will chime in
Hope this helps
-Snick & Viv