Critical Sanitation Issues in Food Service

Quarry, asphalt, ceramic, and terrazzo are all approved materials in the 2005 Food Code; however, I have seen issues with cleaning and sanitizing tile grout in a busy processing kitchen. All tile materials and grouting should be sealed with a low or anti-slip coating to foster proper floor sanitation. Tiled flooring is problematic in areas where any wet sanitation occurs, especially in washrooms.

Environmentally friendly enzymatic tile and grout floor cleaners—designated DfE by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency—do an excellent job of removing soils and biofilms from floor tile and grout.

I prefer concrete flooring sealed with a non-slip epoxy coating, especially in high-traffic wet areas like washrooms; it is durable and negates the need for grout cleaning.

Floor and wall cleaning and sanitation should be completed before food handling/processing equipment is sanitized. Depending upon the facility size, a properly designed push floor scrubber can prevent aerosolizing soils and microbes. This method can be augmented with classic mop and bucket for inaccessible areas.

In addition, proper cleanup of food and dirt debris prior to floor and drain sanitation is critical to a successful environmental sanitation program. First, drain pre-cleanup must be done to avoid drain backups during floor sanitation. This includes proper use of floor squeegees for directing rinse water into drains. Furthermore, proper maintenance and storage of mops and squeegees is critical. Clean and inspect them regularly. Proper storage is important: They must be stored clean and off the floor on racks high enough to deter pests or immersed in a quaternary ammonium floor disinfectant.

According to chapter six of the 2005 Food Code, many food service establishments and food plants can use anti-slip fatigue mats of approved impervious plastic materials to prevent slip-fall issues and worker fatigue. A strict sanitation to clean and sanitize these floor mats after closing must be implemented, however; otherwise, they can be a niche for microbial and pest cross contamination. Carpeting materials are forbidden in food handling areas because they are microbial and pest niches and can be cross contamination sources in food handling areas.

Drain Sanitation

Any properly designed food handling or processing facility should feature stainless steel drains with removable baskets. Seals and caulking must be impervious to biofilm and pest infestation.

Many drains are carbon steel or mixed metal composition, which can make proper cleaner usage a challenge. For older drains made of softer metals, use a soft metal-safe cleaner. A proper color-coded brush program to segregate floor drain sanitation and general floor sanitation must be strictly enforced.

Drain access from any sink, pan washer, or other water-based utility must be hygienically designed to be cleanable and to prevent aerosolization of any sink or pan washer rinsate into the food preparation or handling areas.

Proper drain sanitation training is critical to control cross contamination of pathogenic bacteria like Listeria monocytogenes as well as to prevent insect larvae from hatching in drain niches. To control biofilm buildup, a quaternary ammonium or peracetic acid-based foaming sanitizer is strongly recommended as part of your after hours drain sanitation regimen.

The following cautionary tale underscores the need for proper environmental sanitation. Study results from Dawson and colleagues showed that Salmonella typhimurium remained viable on dry porous materials such as wood and carpet and on dry nonporous tile for up to four weeks.5 Other studies corroborate Dawson’s findings and the need for a consistent, stringent environmental sanitation program.

Personal Hygiene Sanitation Areas

The hygienic design and sanitization of employee restrooms and all hand washing sinks is the final critical component of your environmental sanitation program. Obviously, the sanitation requirements for toilets must be stringent. In addition, to facilitate thorough and efficient sanitation, these areas should share the same hygienic design features described for the ceilings, walls, and flooring in your food handling/processing area.