What does a sanitizer kit test measure?

A clean and sanitized environment is necessary to keep foods safe, including all tools, equipment, and surfaces used in your facility.

Cleaning

Cleaning removes food and dirt and can be done using detergents, degreasers, delimers, or abrasive cleaners that must be non-corrosive and safe to use. Cleaners must be provided and available to all staff at all times. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines on how to use them correctly, and only use cleaners for their intended purpose. Never use one cleaner instead of another unless they are used for the same purpose.

Sanitizing

Sanitizing follows cleaning and rinsing and reduces any remaining pathogens to safe levels. Anything used for food, including surfaces, must be sanitized after cleaning and rinsing.

Types of Sanitizing

Sanitizing can be done either by using heat or chemicals.

Heat

Hot water used for sanitizing must be at least 171°F to be effective. Items must also be soaked in this water for at least 30 seconds. Another way to heat sanitize is passing items through a high-temperature dish machine.

Chemical

Items can be soaked in or sprayed with a chemical sanitizing solution. Chlorine, iodine, and quaternary ammonium compounds (quats) are three common sanitizers. Detergent-sanitizer blends may be used if you have a two-compartment sink (used first to clean then a second time to sanitize). Sanitizers are regulated by state and federal environmental protection agencies and must be provided and available to all staff at all times.

Sanitizer Effectiveness

Chemical sanitizers require proper concentration, pH, temperature, contact time, and water hardness to work effectively.

Concentration

The mix of chemical sanitizer to water is crucial. Too little and it’s too weak, too much and it’s too strong, making it unsafe and possibly leaving an aftertaste, or causing corrosion on metal items. Concentration is measured in parts per million (ppm). A test kit is used to measure strength, and the kit should be made for the sanitizer you’re testing. Make sure kits are available to all staff at all times. Change the sanitizer solution once the water gets dirty or low.

Temperature

Water temperature must align with the sanitizer manufacturer’s guidelines.

Contact Time

Sanitizers require a specific amount of contact time to be effective; for example, soaking for 30 seconds. Consult the manufacturer’s guidelines.

Water Hardness

Water hardness can affect sanitizer, so find out your facility’s water hardness (mineral content) and consult your supplier to find the best sanitizer for your water.

pH

Find out your water’s pH as well and consult your supplier to find the correct sanitizer for your water.

Surfaces

All surfaces should be cleaned, but food contact surfaces must be cleaned, rinsed, and sanitized. Clean and sanitize food contact surfaces: after they’re used, before changing ingredients (e.g., between the prep of raw chicken and lettuce), after preparing different raw TCS foods (e.g., between the prep of melons and kale), any time you’re interrupted and something may have become contaminated, and after four hours of constant use.

Food Contact

Food contact surfaces must be: cleared of all food bits with a nylon brush, pad, or cloth; washed with an approved cleaner and cloth towel; rinsed using clean water and a clean cloth; sanitized using the correct sanitizer (prepared to the correct concentration according to the manufacturer’s guidelines, using a cloth towel, and making contact with the entire surface); and air dried.

Non-Food Contact

Clean and rinse non-food contact surfaces to prevent the buildup of dirt or grease.

Equipment

Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning, but in general: unplug equipment; disengage removable parts and wash, rinse, and sanitize them by hand or run through the dish machine if allowed; clear food bits from equipment surface; wash with approved cleaner and correct cleaning tool; rinse equipment with clean water and correct tool; sanitize entire surface of equipment with proper sanitizer; air dry; and put equipment pieces back on. Any equipment designed to have cleaner pumped through it (dispenser machines) must be cleaned and sanitized every day unless the manufacturer states otherwise.

Dishwashing

Tableware and small items are often run through a dish machine, while pots and pans are washed by hand in a 3 compartment sink. Either way, choose the practice that best cleans and sanitizes the item. Then store items in ways that discourage contamination.

Machine

Dish machines may use hot water to clean and sanitize (high-temperature machines) or use chemical solutions (chemical-sanitizing machines).

• High-temp machines must be hot enough (at least 180°F for final sanitizing, or at least 165°F for single-temperature machines) and have built in thermometers.
• Staff must check the surface temperature of items being sanitized with maximum registering thermometers or heat tape.
• Chemical-sanitizing machines need much lower temperatures.
• Both should be used correctly, and maintained. Keep them clean, checking daily for foreign objects or mineral buildup.
• Check temperature, pressure, and chemical levels, and fill tanks with clean water.
• Always scrape and pre-rinse items, if needed, before loading, and use correct dish racks. Never overload them. Air dry everything completely before storing. Never towel dry.

Manual

When using a 3 compartment sink: clean and sanitize each basin and drain boards, prepare the wash sink in the first basin, rinsesink in the second, sanitizer solution (per manufacturer’s details or just hot water) in the third, and provide a clock with a second hand to time items dropped into sanitizer.

Scrape, rinse, or presoak items, wash in first sink with approved tool (change water and detergent as suds dissipate), rinse by dipping or spraying in second sink (change when water becomes too sudsy), sanitize in third sink (never rinse after sanitizingdue to recontamination issues), and air dry items upside down on a clean and sanitized drying rack (never towel dry due to recontamination issues).

Tableware and Equipment Storage

Store utensils, equipment, and tableware in such a way as to prevent contamination. Clean and sanitize drawers and shelves before storing items, keeping them 6 inches off the floor and protected from moisture and dirt. Cups and glasses should be upside down and flatware handles up. Keep trays, carts, food contact surfaces, and equipment cleaned and sanitized until ready to use.

Other Cleaning Considerations

Every facility needs a master cleaning schedule along with staff training and monitoring to see that it’s carried out effectively. Training should include using the correct tools, supplies, and storage to prevent contamination. Many foodservice chemicals are hazardous and may cause chemical contamination, so staff must know how to use them safely.

Cloths

Wet and dry cloths are used in cleaning and sanitizing. Never use them interchangeably. Wet cloths used for wiping counters and equipment should be stored in a red bucket of fresh sanitizing solution when not in use. Separate cloths that come in contact with raw proteins from other cleaning cloths. Dry cloths must remain dry and are used to wipe spills from tables or the edges of plates. They cannot be visibly dirty or contain food debris when in use.

Premise Cleaning

Non-food contact surfaces like walls, ceilings, floor, and equipment exteriors don’t need to be sanitized, but they do require regular cleaning to prevent dirt, dust, and grease buildup. This helps prevent pathogens as well as pests.

Cleaning After Sick People

Vomit and diarrhea carry the very contagious norovirus, so cleaning them up correctly is important to prevent contamination and others becoming sick. Your establishment must have written procedures for cleaning vomit and diarrhea that trained staff members must follow to minimize contamination and exposure to foods, surfaces, and people.

Tools and Supplies

Store cleaning tools separately and in easy to clean ways so as to not contaminate foods and equipment. The designated storage area should have: adequate lighting to see chemicals well; hooks for hanging brooms, mops and other tools so they can air dry without dirtying the wall; a utility sink for filling buckets and washing tools; and a floor drain for dumping dirty water. Never clean mops, brushes, etc. in handwashing, food prep, or dishwashing sinks, and never dump mop water into toilets or urinals. Clean and rinse buckets and allow to air dry before storing.

Foodservice Chemicals

Foodservice chemicals can cause chemical contamination, so cross-contamination must be avoided. Only use approved chemicals. Never store unneeded chemicals. Cover or move nearby items that could become contaminated before using chemicals. Clean and sanitize equipment and utensils after using chemicals. Always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. Store chemicals in the original containers (labeled with instructions and common name) in designated areas separate from food, equipment, linens, and utensils. Space chemicals apart from other items or partition them from other items, and always keep them under food, equipment, utensils, linens, etc., never above.

An Operation Cleaning Program

Develop a master cleaning schedule and train your staff to follow it, monitoring their use of the program to see if it’s effective. Your master cleaning schedule should list all cleaning jobs in certain areas, or list jobs in the order they should be done, including food and non-food areas. Assign tasks to specific individuals. Cleaning and sanitizing should happen daily as needed, and major cleaning should be done when foods won’t risk contamination. Work schedules should accommodate cleaning time. Have clear written procedures for cleaning, including the tools and chemicals that should be used. Change the master cleaning schedule as needed when menu, procedures, or equipment changes, and include staff input when making changes.

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