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Cleaning & Sanitizing Flashcards

6 cards from real Food Safety practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 6 Cleaning & Sanitizing flashcards as text
  1. What is the key difference between cleaning and sanitizing?

    Answer: Cleaning removes dirt and debris; sanitizing reduces pathogens to safe levels

    Cleaning removes visible food residue and dirt, while sanitizing uses heat or chemicals to reduce pathogen levels to safe numbers on surfaces.

  2. What is the minimum water temperature for hot-water sanitizing in a three-compartment sink?

    Answer: 171°F

    When using hot water as the sanitizer in a three-compartment sink, water must reach a minimum of 171°F to effectively reduce pathogens.

  3. What is the correct concentration range for a chlorine (bleach) sanitizing solution?

    Answer: 50–100 ppm

    A chlorine sanitizing solution must be maintained at 50–100 ppm to be effective against pathogens without leaving harmful chemical residue.

  4. What must be done to a food contact surface between the cleaning and sanitizing steps?

    Answer: Rinse with clean water to remove all soap residue

    Food contact surfaces must be rinsed with clean water after cleaning to remove soap residue, which can neutralize sanitizers and reduce their effectiveness.

  5. How long must a food contact surface remain in contact with sanitizing solution to be effective?

    Answer: The contact time specified by the sanitizer manufacturer, typically 7–30 seconds

    Sanitizers require the specific contact time — usually 7 to 30 seconds as listed by the manufacturer — to reduce pathogens to safe levels.

  6. Which type of sanitizer remains most effective in hard water conditions?

    Answer: Quaternary ammonium (quats)

    Quaternary ammonium compounds (quats) are less affected by the mineral content of hard water than chlorine, making them more reliable in hard-water areas.