Cleaning, Sanitation, and Safety

Cleaning and Sanitation

The terms cleaning and sanitizing (or sanitation) are sometimes erroneously assumed to be one
and the same, when in fact there are important differences. Cleaning is the physical removal of
visible soil and food from a surface. Sanitizing is a procedure that reduces the number of potentially
harmful microorganisms to safe levels on food contact surfaces such as china, tableware,
equipment, and work surfaces. Sanitized surfaces are not necessarily sterile, which means to be free
of microorganisms.
Cleaning and sanitizing are resource-intensive procedures in any foodservice operation. They
require time, labor, chemicals, equipment, and energy. Careful design and monitoring of the
cleaning and sanitizing procedures result in optimal protection of employees and customers.
Mismanagement of these two functions can result in :
Injury or illness to employees and customers
Waste of chemicals
Damage to equipment and facilities
Typically the foodservices manager works closely with a representative of a chemical company
to select cleaning and sanitation compounds appropriate to the needs of the operation. It is
essential that managers understant the principles of cleaning and sanitizing and the many factors
that influence these procedures.
Principles of Cleaning
Cleaning is a two-step task that occurs when a cleaning compound (or agent) such as a detergent is
put in contact with a soiled surface. Pressure is applied using a brush, cloth, scrub pad, or water
spray for a long enough period of time to penetrate the soil so it can be easily removed during the
second step on rinsing. Many factors influence the effectiveness of this cleaning process. Table 4.1 is
a summary of these factors. Each of these factors must be considered when making a cost-effective
selection of detergents and other cleaning compounds such as solvents, acids, and abrasives.
Detergents. The selection of a compound to aid in cleaning the many types of soil and food residues
is complex because so many compounds are available from which to choose. An understanding of
the basic principles involved in cleaning will assist the foodservice manager in making this decision.
Table 4.1 Factors that influence the cleaning process.
Factor Influence on Cleaning Process
1. Type of water





2. Water temperature


Minerals in hard water can reduce the
effectiveness of some detergents. Hard water
can cause time deposits or leave a scale,
especially on equipment where hot water is
used, such as in dish machines and steam tables.

Generally, the higher the temperature of the
water used for cleaning, the faster and more
effecient the action of the detergent; however,




3. Surface


4. Type of cleaning compound





5. Type of soil to be removed
120F is recommended (and in some cases
mandated), as higher temperatures can result in
burns.

Different surfaces, especially metals, vary in the
ease with which they can be cleaned.

Soap can leave a greasy film. Abrasives such as
scouring powders can scratch soft surfaces.
Many cleaning agents are formulated formulated
for specific cleaning problems; lime removal
products are an example.

Soils tend to fall into one of three categories:
protein (eggs), grease or oils (butter), or water
soluble (sugar). Stains tend to be acid or alkaline
(tea, fruit juice). Ease of cleaning depends on
which category the soil is from and the condition
of the soil (e.g., fresh, baked-on, dried, or
ground-in).

Detergents are defined as cleaning agents, solvents, or any substance that will remove foreign
or soiling material from surfaces. Specifically listed are soap, soap powders, cleansers, acids, volatile
solvents, and abrasives. Water alone has some detergency value, but most often it serves as the
carrier of the cleansing agent to the soiled surface. Its efficiency for removing soil is increased when
combined with certain chemical cleaning agents.
The three basic phases of detergency are penetration, suspension, and rinsing. The following
actions and agents are required for each phase:
1. Penetration: the cleaning agent must penetrate between the particles of soil and between
the layers of soil and the surface to which it adheres. This action, known as wetting, reduces surface
tention and makes penetration possible.
2. Suspension: an agent holds the loosened soil in the washing solution so it can be flused away
and not redeposited. Agents, which vary according to the type of soil, include the following: for
sugars and salts, water is the agent because sugars and salas are water soluble and are easily
converted into solutions. For fat particles, an emulsifying action is required to saponify the fat and
carry it away. Soap, highly alkaline salts, and nonionic synthetics may be used. For protein particles,
colloidal solutions must be formed by peptizing (known also as sequestering or deflocculating). This
action prevents curd formation in hard water; otherwise, solvents or abrasives may be needed.
3. Rinsing agent: this agent flushes away soils and cleaners so they are not redeposited on the
surfaces being washed. Clean, clear hot water is usually effective alone. With some types of water, a
drying agent may be needed to speed drying by helping the rince water drain off surfaces quickly.
This eliminates alkaline and hard water spotting, films, and streaks on the tableware or other items
being cleaned.
In foodservice, the cleaning function focuses mainly on food contact surfaces, including china,
glass, and metal surfaces. Common soils to be removed are grease and carbohydrate and protein
food particles that many adhere to dishes, glassware, silverware, cooking utensils, worktable tops,
floors, or other surfaces. Some types of food soils such as sugars, starches, and certain salts are
water soluble. The addition of a wetting agent to hot water will readily remove most of these simple
soils. The soils that are insoluble in water, such as animal and vegetable fats and proteins, organic
fiber, and oils, are more difficult to remove. Abrasives or solvents may be nesessary in some cases to
effect complete cleanliness.
The use of a balanced detergent or one with a carefully adjusted formulas of ingredients
suitable for the hardness of the water and the characteristics of the soil is advised in order to
produce the best results. The properties of the detergent must cause complete removal of the soil
without deposition of any substance or deleterious effect on surfaces washed.
Detergents for dishwashing machines are complex combinations of chemicals that completely
remove soil nin a single pass through the machine. The selected detergent works to soften the
water, solubilize and emulsify greases, break down proteins, suspend soils, protect the metal of the
machine, increase wetting action, and counteract minerals in the wash water. Other characteristics
desired in some situations are defoaming action where excess sudsing is a problem and chlorination
action where a chlorine-type detergent is used to removed stains and discolorations.
Solvent Cleaners. Solvent cleaners, commonly referred to as degreasers, are necessary to clean
equipment and surface areas that get soiled with grease. Ovens and grills are examples of areas that
need frequent degreasing. These products are alkaline based and are formulated to dissolve grease.
Acid Cleaners. Tough cleaning problems such as lime buildup on dishwashing machines and rust on
sheiving are treated with acid cleaners. There are a number of these products from which to choose,
and they vary depending on the specific purpose for the product.
Abrasives. Abrasives cleaners are generally used for particularly tough soils that do not respond to
solvents or acids. These products must be used carefully to avoid damage to the surface that is being
cleaned.
Principles of Sanitation
Immediately after cleaning, all food contact surfaces must be sanitized. Heat and chemical sanitizing
are the two methods for sanitizing surfaces effectively.
Heat sanitizing. The objective of heat sanitizing is to expose the clean surface to high heat for a long
enough time to kill harmfull organisms. Heat sanitizing can be done manually or by a high
temperature range necessary to kill most harmful microorganisms is 162F to 165F. Table 4.2
summarizes minimum washing and sanitizing temperatures for manual and machine methods.
Table 4.2 Minimum washing and sanitizing temperatures for heat sanitation.
Wash Sanitize
Manual 110F 171F
Machine (spray types)
1. Stationary rack, single temperature machine 165F 165F
2. Conveyor, dual temperature machine 160F 180F
3. Stationary rack, dual temperature machine 150F 180F
4. Multi-tank, conveyor,, multi-temperature machine 150F 180F
(1) Some local regulations may mandate stricter standards.
(2) Minimum time for exposure to heat ia 1minute.
(3) 194F is the maximum upper limit for heat sanitation for manual or machine methods, as higher
temperature cause rapid evaporation and therefore inadequate time for effective sanitation.
Source: From the 2005 Food Code, U.S. Public Health Service
Chemical Sanizing. A second method for effective sanitizing is through the use of chemicals. One of
the reasons for choosing this method over heat sanitizing is the savings that are realized in energy
usage, as lower water temperatures are used with chemical sanitizers, eliminating the need for
booster heaters.
Chemical sanitizing is achieved in two ways. The first is by immersing the clean object in a
sanitizing solution of appropriate concentration and for a specific length of time, usually one minute.
The second method is by rinsing, swabbing, or spraying the object with the sanitizing solution. The
rinsing and spraying methods can be done manually or by machine. Careful management of
sanitizers is important for several reasons including:
The sanitzer becomes depleted over time and must be tested frequently to ensure that the
strength of the solution is maintained for effective sanitizing. Test kits are available from the
manufacturer.
The sanitation solution can get bound up by food particles and detergent residues if surfaces
are inadequately rinsed, leaving the sanitizer ineffective.
The three types of commonly used chemical sanitizers in foodservice operations are chlorine,
iodine,, and quaternary ammonium aompounds (quarts). The properties of these sanitizers are
summarized in table 4.3
Methods of Cleaning
Methods by which equipment can be cleaned are categorized into three groups. Clean-in-place
(CIP) or mechanical cleaning requires no disassembly or only partial disassembly. These pieces of
equipment are cleaned and sanitized by the circulation of the chemical compounds through a
piping system. This method of cleaning is most often applied to stationary or built-in equipment.
Clean-out-of-place (COP)means that the equipment is partially disassembled for cleaning. Some
removable parts may be run through a dish machine. The third category is manual cleaning that
requires the complete disassembly for cleaning and functional inspection.
Table 4.3 properties of commonly used chemical sanitizers.
Chlorine Iodine Quaternary Ammonium
Minimum concentration
For immersion 50 parts per million
(ppm)
12.5-25.0 ppm 220 ppm
For spray cleaning 50 ppm 12.5-25.0 ppm 220 ppm
Temperature of solution
Above 75F (24F) 75F (29C) Above 75F (24C)
Below 115F (46C) Iodine will leave
solution at 120F
(49C)
Contact time
for immersion 7 seconds 30 seconds 30 seconds-some
products require longer
contact time-read label
for spray cleaning Follow
manufacturers
directions
Follow manufacturers
directions









DISHWASHING
Dishwashing (sometimes referred to as warewashing) requires atwo-part operation, that is, the
cleaning procedure to free dishes and utensils of visible soil by scraping or a water flow method,
and the sanitizing or bactericidal treatment to minimize microbiological hazards. Dishwashing for
public eating places is subject to rigid regulations.