Unit 7 Food Safety Seminar

Cleaning vs. Sanitizing

-There are some main points to emphasize that clarify the difference between cleaning and sanitizing

-Cleaning involves removing all soil and food from a specific surface

-Sanitization usually follows cleaning and involves reducing the number of microorganisms that
are on the surface.

-Something may be “clean” but that just means all food/soil was removed from it, not that it was
sanitized as well. You can wipe a glass with a filthy towel and call it clean, although it may look clean it
does not mean that bacteria is not present on the glass anymore.

-In the food service industry these differences are imperative. This is because if something is clean and
not sanitized, there may be biological contaminants still present and these are the worst contaminant of
the 3 we learned about previously.

How to Clean and Sanitize/ Methods

-There are 5 main steps to cleaning and sanitizing a surface

-Remove the food bits, wash the surface, rinse the surface, sanitize the surface, and then air dry
the surface.

-Air drying the surface is important in order to prevent any contaminants from a towel or rag from
getting ono the surface.

-There are two methods to sanitize, by heat or by using chemicals. These can be done separately or
together.

-Heat sanitizing gets hot enough to where it kills majority of the bacteria or pathogens on a surface. In
dishwashers you have both methods, as well as pressure to really insure proper removal of everything.

-Heat sanitizing is used a lot for dishes, tableware, and utensils. The water has to be above 171 degrees
Fahrenheit. Items must be immersed in for 30 seconds.

Common Types of Chemical Sanitizers as Well as Factors Influencing Chemical Sanitizers

-Chlorine, Iodine, and Quaternary Ammonium are the main 3 types of chemical sanitizers used

-Chlorine is inexpensive yet effective. Downfalls to this type of sanitizer is that it can be easily watered
down as well as corrosive (think of bleach).

-Iodine is not irritating to the skin but can cause discoloration to walls because of its yellow color. It is
also more expensive and can be unstable at high temps. Places with white tile floors or white walls
would want to steer away from using this type of sanitizer. Even if the tiles are not white, the grout
could become discolored.

-Quats, or Quaternary ammonium can be combined with detergents but leave a residue after applying.
-There are many factors that can influence the effectiveness of chemical sanitizers and food service
places must be aware of these different factors

-Things such as contact time, the temperature of the sanitizer, the hardness of the water, the pH of
either the water or sanitizer, the concentration and ratio used of the sanitizer are all important factors
to be cognizant of.

When to Clean and Sanitize Food Contact Surfaces

- Clean and sanitize food contact surfaces such as cutting boards, knives, and countertops immediately
after each use. This prevents cross-contamination between different foods.

- If you're preparing different types of food (raw meat, vegetables, etc,), clean and sanitize surfaces
between tasks to avoid the transfer of bacteria.

-If there is continuous food preparation in a food service operation, the requirement is to clean it every
four hours.

Procedures for Dishwashing Machine Operation

-Scrape off excess food debris from dishes and utensils and pre-rinse heavily soiled items if
recommended by the manufacturer.

-Place items in the racks with enough space for water and detergent to reach all surfaces. Do not
overload the racks and face cups and utensils downward to ensure proper cleaning.

-Always check the temperature and calibrate the pressure of the dishwasher

-Keep up with maintenance and any repairs that the dishwasher may need (preventative maintenance)

-Maintain proper cleaning of the screen that catches all the debris during cleaning

-Always air dry everything and do not touch it

Master Cleaning Schedule

-Every food service company must have a cleaning schedule in place.

-this schedule will say what needs to be cleaned, who will clean it, when it will be cleaned, and how it
will be cleaned.

-these schedules will vary and differ from company to company.

Reflections:

This seminar was particularly interesting to me because of the master cleaning schedule. I learn so many
things throughout this course that I could have previously applied in my life. When I worked at Dunkin
Donuts we had a master cleaning schedule but I never knew the background on that requirement within
food service places. It is interesting to learn about it and then be able to apply it to past situations. At
Dunkin, each shift had different cleaning duties depending on the most busy times as well as the times
we had either more or less staff. I vividly remember the different duties of each shift and I was able to
work each of those shifts and be exposed to a wide variety of the cleaning practices. We also had
prepping schedules in place.