Facilities, Cleaning & PestsQuestion 307 of 320

When manually sanitizing with hot water, why must the water temperature be tightly controlled at 171°F for the full 30 seconds?

a.Because cooler water cleans better
b.Because heat sanitizing depends on reaching a high-enough temperature for long enough to kill pathogens
c.Because the sink will rust otherwise
d.Because it saves energy

Explanation

Heat sanitizing works by exposing items to a high enough temperature, 171°F, for long enough, at least 30 seconds, to destroy pathogens. If the water is cooler or the time shorter, sanitizing fails even though the items look clean. That is why a thermometer and a timer, or a monitored heat source, are essential at a hot-water sanitizing sink.

Law Reference: FDA Food Code §4-501.111

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