Fight Pathogens and Microbes in Processing Areas

Ventilation hood systems, typically constructed with durable food-grade stainless, must be cleaned with aggressive, robust foam or gel cleaners with a higher level of caustic that can cut through the carbonized soils and grease that typically accumulate on these units.

Perform hood sanitation daily to avoid problematic carbonized grease buildup. Sanitize the filter units weekly, preferably using a dishwashing or COP tank, or, if those are unavailable, the three-compartment sink. Hood sanitation is important for another reason: Poor sanitation has resulted in numerous grease fires in food service facilities due to a heavy filter and hood duct grease accumulation.

Critical Sanitation Tools

Although many of us are familiar with the proper design and chemical dispensing systems for three-compartment sinks, we still see many of them improperly used in food retail, service, and processing facilities. Although the Food Code defines specific, restricted scenarios in which a two-compartment unit is appropriate for manual cleaning, the three-compartment sink must be the standard.

The first compartment, the wash compartment, should have a minimum water temperature of 110°F (43°C) with a ? ounce to 1 ounce per gallon auto-dosed concentration of a typical detergent approved for manual sanitation. I recommend a typical wall-mount venturi auto dose to prevent detergent misuse. Soak the items for three to five minutes, then perform proper mechanical agitation with a white long-handled scrub brush.

All components of a three-compartment sink should be manually cleaned and sanitized.

The second compartment is the rinse compartment. Although clean rinse water that is at least the same temperature as the wash water is acceptable, optimal rinse water temperature is somewhat higher. Once the rinse water is soiled, replace it. Some operations leave the rinse compartment empty and rely on a spray nozzle instead for thorough rinsing. Because rinse water temperature can approach 140°F, the operator should wear chemically and thermally resistant lined gloves and safety glasses.

The third compartment, the sanitizer compartment, should have a D2-rated (old USDA system), NSF-approved sanitizer at an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved food contact concentration for a one-minute immersion sanitizing period. As with the detergent in compartment one, the sanitizer should be auto-dosed and verified using appropriate test strips and titration kits to ensure that the sanitizer is at a proper no-rinse, EPA label-approved concentration.

Many varieties of mechanical dishwashers are used in food service operations, ranging from classic, single-tank, home-type dishwashers to manually loaded flight-type continuous units to automatic conveyor rack units that have auto-dispensed detergent to carousel closed loop systems and automatic immersion units. Some units use a sanitizer dosing as well to reduce required wash temperatures, but many rely on hot water rinses. Also, these types of units should have a heat boost pump to dose a hot final rinse for the high temperature-type units. The auto dispensing feature of the detergent must be properly maintained as well.

Most dishwashing units, whether old or new designs, do an excellent job, provided the food service operator properly designs, uses, and maintains them. The dishwasher type used in a food service operation should be compatible with the facility’s design. The NSF has many approved standards for all unit varieties.

Some key issues concerning dishwashing units include incomplete removal of excess soil; improper detergent concentration; water temperature; cleaning/rinse cycle time; improper racking, which applies especially to single-tank systems; untreated hard water leaving films; and streaking due to excessive detergent or lack of rinse aid. ■

Giambrone is senior technical support manager at Rochester Midland Corp. and is also a qualified SQF consultant. Reach him at [email protected].

References

1. Miller AJ, Brown T, Call JE. Comparison of wooden and polyethylene cutting boards: potential for the attachment and removal of bacteria from ground beef. J Food Protection. 1996;59(8):854-858.
2. Zhang G, Ma L, Doyle MP. Sanitary design of meat slicers for better cleanability. Research project from the Center for Food Safety, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Georgia; 2006; Griffin, Ga.
3. McSwane D, Rue NR, Linton R. Essentials of Food Safety and Sanitation. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall; 1998.
4. Marriott NG. Principles of Food Sanitation. 4th ed. Gaithersburg, Md.: Aspen Publishers Inc.; 1999.
5. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA 2005 Food Code: Chapter 4, Equipment, Utensils, and Linens. FDA. Available at: www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/RetailFoodProtection/FoodCode/FoodCode2005/default.htm. Accessed November 15, 2009.