Facilities, Cleaning & PestsQuestion 281 of 320
What is the key difference between cleaning and sanitizing a food-contact surface?
a.Cleaning uses hot water and sanitizing uses cold water only
b.They are the same thing done twice
c.Cleaning removes food and soil; sanitizing reduces pathogens on an already-clean surface to safe levels
d.Sanitizing removes grease and cleaning kills germs
Explanation
Cleaning physically removes food residue, grease, and dirt, while sanitizing uses heat or chemicals to reduce the number of pathogens on an already-clean surface to safe levels. A surface must be cleaned before it can be sanitized, because soil shields microbes from the sanitizer. The two steps are distinct and both are required for food-contact surfaces.
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