Cleaning and sanitizing food contact surfaces in a kitchen are vital to prevent foodborne illness and maintain a hygienic environment.

Cleaning involves using soap and water to remove dirt, grease, and debris from all surfaces, including floors, walls, equipment, and utensils. Sanitizing, required only for food contact surfaces like cutting boards and utensils, follows cleaning to kill pathogens. Sanitizers are ineffective on dirty surfaces. Use public health-approved sanitizers. Chlorine, bleach, at 100 parts per million, ppm, effective but corrosive. Quaternary ammonia, quats, at 200 ppm, less corrosive but weaker against viruses. Iodine at 25 ppm, rarely used due to staining.

Vinegar is not an approved sanitizer. Follow manufacturer dilution instructions to avoid chemical residues that could cause chemical foodborne illness. These practices, thorough cleaning with soap and water and proper sanitizing with approved chemicals, ensure customer safety, eliminate bacterial contamination, and maintain a safe, compliant kitchen environment.

 

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Read more About the lesson (Optional)

Welcome to the first lesson in Module 11 | Cleaning and Sanitizing of the Safe Food Handler Certificate course! In this lesson, you’ll learn how cleaning and sanitizing food contact surfaces in a kitchen prevents foodborne illness and ensures a hygienic environment. Let’s dive in!

Cleaning vs. Sanitizing

Keeping a food premises clean and sanitary is essential for food safety:

• Cleaning: Everything in the kitchen (e.g., floors, walls, equipment, utensils) must be cleaned with soap and water to remove dirt, grease, and debris.
• Sanitizing: Only food contact surfaces (e.g., cutting boards, equipment, utensils) need sanitizing after cleaning to kill harmful bacteria and pathogens. Cleaning with soap and water must occur first, as sanitizing is ineffective on dirty surfaces.

Approved Sanitizing Chemicals

Three public health-approved chemicals can be used to sanitize food contact surfaces:

1. Chlorine (Bleach):
   • Very effective and inexpensive but corrosive to hands and equipment.
   • Required concentration: 100 parts per million (ppm) for utensil immersion in a sink.
2. Quaternary Ammonia (Quats):
   • Common in big restaurant chains, less irritating and corrosive than chlorine or iodine, but less effective against viruses.
   • Required concentration: 200 ppm.
3. Iodine:
   • Rarely used due to staining porous surfaces like plastic glasses or cutting boards.
   • Required concentration: 25 ppm.

• Vinegar: Not an approved sanitizer, as it does not destroy bacteria.
• Dilution: Follow manufacturer labels to dilute sanitizers accurately with water. Excess chemical can leave residues, causing chemical foodborne illness.

Why This Matters

Cleaning removes physical contaminants, while sanitizing eliminates pathogens on food contact surfaces, reducing the risk of foodborne illness. Using approved sanitizers at the correct concentrations ensures safety and compliance with public health standards. Check course resources for more guidance on safe cleaning and sanitizing practices.

Key Takeaways:

• Clean everything in the kitchen with soap and water; sanitize only food contact surfaces like cutting boards and utensils after cleaning.
• Use approved sanitizers (chlorine at 100 ppm, quats at 200 ppm, iodine at 25 ppm); avoid vinegar and follow manufacturer dilution instructions.
• Proper cleaning and sanitizing prevent bacterial contamination and chemical residues, ensuring food safety.