We explain what managers need to know about cleaning and sanitizing food contact surfaces.

In this section

• When to wash, rinse and sanitize food contact surfaces
• How to wash, rinse and sanitize
• Testing concentration of sanitizers
• Approved sanitizers

Related

• See food safety posters

Inspectors

• Check to make sure utensils and equipment food contact surfaces are washed, rinsed, and sanitized as needed.

Effective managers

• Train staff to wash, rinse, and sanitize food contact utensils:
  • After use
  • Between working with different raw animal meats
  • Before working with ready-to-eat foods
• Make sure that in-use utensils are washed, rinsed, and sanitized as needed.
• Coach and correct employees when food contact surfaces are not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized as needed.

Inspectors

• Determine if the 3-compartment sink is set up and used correctly.
• Verify high temperature dish machines operate hot enough to effectively sanitize utensils.
• Verify the chemical sanitizer concentration in low temperature dish machines is in an appropriate range.
• Check clean-in-place equipment is properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized.

Effective managers

Train staff to set up and use the three-compartment sink. This process also applies to clean-in-place equipment.

Three-compartment sink set up:

• First basin (wash) contains soap and water.
• Second basin (rinse) contains only water.
• Third basin (sanitize) contains water and the correct amount of sanitizer.

Monitor and correct staff on warewashing practices:

• Regularly monitor sanitizing practices to make sure they are being done correctly.
• Coach and correct staff who are not sanitizing correctly.
• Regularly verify dish machines are working properly. If a dish machine does not work, have the dish machine serviced.

Inspectors

• Verify there are appropriate sanitizer test kits onsite.
• Verify the concentration of chemical sanitizers used onsite are at an appropriate concentration.
• Confirm a temperature indicator is available if a high temperature dish machine is used.

Effective managers

Train staff:

• How to properly use the sanitizer test kit
• How to set up sanitizer buckets and 3-compartment sinks with the correct concentration of sanitizer

Make sure staff:

• Regularly check the concentration of sanitizer in sanitizer buckets and the three-compartment sink.
• Have test kits for each sanitizer used.
• Know where test kits are kept.
• Follow directions on the label for correct concentration of sanitizing chemicals.
• Correct sanitizer solution concentration if it is outside of the approved limit.
• Use an effective method to verify the surface temperature of utensils washed in the dish machine reaches at least 160 degrees F.

Inspectors

• Make sure sanitizer chemicals are approved for sanitizing food contact surfaces. 

Effective managers

• Train staff which chemicals to use for sanitizing food contact surfaces.
• Make sure there is an adequate supply of sanitizer onsite.
• Monitor chemicals being used for sanitizing food contact surfaces to make sure that they are approved for food contact surfaces.
• Coach and correct when unapproved sanitizers are used.