How does the cleaning of nonfood-contact surfaces, like equipment legs, shelving, and hood exteriors, differ from food-contact surfaces?
a.They must be cleaned and sanitized at 4-hour intervals during continuous use, the same schedule the Food Code sets for slicers
b.They are cleaned on an annual deep-clean schedule, since dust and grease on legs and shelves cannot reach food or attract pests
c.They must be cleaned at a frequency that keeps soil and debris from accumulating, but do not require the same routine sanitizing as food-contact surfaces
d.They fall outside the cleaning program, because the Food Code addresses surfaces that touch food and nothing else in the kitchen
Explanation
Nonfood-contact surfaces must be cleaned often enough to prevent buildup of dust, dirt, food debris, and grease, which can attract pests and harbor soil, but they do not require the same every-use sanitizing that food-contact surfaces do. The 4-hour continuous-use sanitizing rule belongs to food-contact surfaces like slicers, not to equipment legs. An annual schedule or no schedule at all lets grease and debris build up, which invites pests and cross-contamination even if the food-contact surfaces are clean.
Law Reference: FDA Food Code §4-602.13Practice all 500 questions free — no signup required.
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