Simply put, besides proper handwashing, sanitization is the single-most important step a foodservice establishment can take to prevent cross-contamination.

A common misconception in the foodservice industry is that cleaning something and sanitizing it are one and the same. This couldn't be further from the truth, and if you believe this, then your establishment is running a serious risk of cross-contamination every time your employees use equipment, utensils, storage containers, countertops, cutting boards, dishes, silverware, or anything else that needs to be washed after use.

Simply put, besides proper handwashing, sanitization is the single-most important step a foodservice establishment can take to prevent cross-contamination.

Cleaning vs. Sanitizing
To clean a piece of equipment or surface means to remove all particles of food and soil, usually by using water and some type of cleaning agent such as soap or detergent.

Cleaning basically means to remove anything that can be seen with the naked eye. Naturally, cleaning is very important because no customer wants to eat off of a plate with an old piece of food stuck to it or drink from a glass with lipstick on the rim. However, removing what you can see with your eyes isn't enough to make the surface safe.

It is recommended that once a surface is clean, it is to go through the very important step of sanitization. Sanitizing means to reduce the number of microorganisms on a surface to a safe level by using one of two methods (or both): by adding heat or introducing chemicals.

It is this step that removes the greatest number of harmful bacteria that can cause foodborne illness, so extra care is needed to ensure that there are no shortcuts taken when sanitizing any surface that can potentially come into contact with food.

Something that should also be mentioned is that sanitization is not to be confused with disinfection—when harsh chemicals are used to clean floors and walls, or sterilization—how medical supplies are made safe.

Both of these microorganism-eliminating methods are more intense than simple sanitization, and are usually not safe for surfaces that will come into contact with food. In the restaurant industry, there are two ways in which things are sanitized: by using an automated dishwasher, or cleaning by hand in a three-compartment sink.

Dishwasher-Safe
Through use of technology, restaurant operators are able to properly clean and sanitize all dishware, glasses, flatware and utensils by simply washing off excess food particles, putting them on a dish-rack, and closing the dishwashing machine door.

However, the water temperature and detergent, sanitizer, and rinse aid levels of the dishwasher must be regularly monitored. Without going into the specifics of every type of machine, some commercial dishwashers are more dependent upon high water temperatures to sanitize, while others use lower temperatures and more powerful chemical sanitizers to make sure surfaces are microorganism-free.

While commercial dishwashers are there to make our lives easier, there are certain shortcuts that are common throughout the industry that should never be taken, such as:

· Overloading the dish-rack—Make sure all surfaces will be exposed to the spray inside the machine.

· Not rinsing properly—Any significant amounts of food particles should be removed before placing anything inside the dishwasher.

· Using a "dirty" dishwasher—Throughout the course of service, the dishwasher should be wiped down, be drained and refilled with clean water, and cleaning and sanitizing agents should be refilled and checked to make sure they are dispensing properly.

· Towel-drying—All items that come out of the dishwasher should be air-dried. Towels can contain harmful bacteria that can easily contaminate clean dishes.

· Cramming large pieces of equipment into the machine—Any large items should be cleaned and sanitized by hand in a three-compartment sink.

At the end of every shift, the dishwasher should be drained, the filter should be thoroughly cleaned, and the entire unit should be wiped down.

Three-in-One
For everything that isn't cleaned in a commercial dishwashing machine, a three-compartment sink should be used to clean, rinse, and sanitize the items by hand. This includes pots and pans, large cooking utensils, large food storage containers, mixing bowls, etc. In addition, most bars will not have an automatic dishwasher available, so any barware will need to be cleaned by hand, as well.

There are three sections of each sink, hence the name: "three-compartment": the cleaning compartment, rinsing compartment and sanitizing compartment. The cleaning compartment is to be used for presoaking and washing, and should contain some type of dish-cleaning detergent. The water temperature in this section should be no lower than 110 F. The rinsing compartment should contain nothing but clean water to rinse off any excess detergent that may be on the equipment after being removed from the cleaning compartment.

Again, water in this section should be no less than 110 F. The third sink is meant to sanitize the equipment, so a chemical sanitizer must be used. Whichever chemical sanitizer is chosen, make sure employees are carefully following the instructions on its label as every sanitizer has different specifications.

Make sure sinks are being drained when the water becomes cloudy to ensure equipment isn't being cleaned in dirty water. Also, as with automatic dishwashers, make sure anything is cleaned air-dried, and never rinse off sanitizer.

How Effective?
The effectiveness of any sanitizer is based on three factors:Â concentration of the solution in water, water temperature and contact time with the equipment. All chemical sanitizers have pros and cons regarding kindness to skin, staining, smell, effects on metal, and cost per use so ask your chemical supplier to help you make the right choice based on your needs.

It is important to keep sanitizer test kits on-hand and periodically test sanitizer levels in the third sink to make sure chemical levels are appropriate.

Protect the House
Distinguishing the difference between cleaning and sanitizing is what could end up saving your establishment from unnecessary hardship. Washing off what you can see is not enough to ensure that all surfaces that come into contact with food, including the dishes, flatware, and glassware your guests use, are safe and free of harmful microorganisms. If you can confidently say that everything used in your establishment is properly sanitized after being used, you are greatly reducing the chance for a foodborne illness incident to occur.

This can enable you to concentrate on more profit center-based concepts such as product quality and customer service, and in the end, your bottom line will reap the benefits.

Lee Biars is the director of industry relations for Safe Food Solutions. He can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it '; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text8680 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //-->\n This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or www.safefoodsolutions.com.