Principles of Food Sanitation

●prerinse for the removal of large soil

particles

●wetting (or softening) of soils on the

surface where removal is essential

●transport of the cleaning compound to

the area to be cleaned

●suspension of soil to be removed

●transport of suspended soil from the

surface being cleaned

●rinsing of the cleaning compound from

the area being cleaned

●transport of a sanitizer to the cleaned area

Satisfactory water is required to comple-
ment the cleaners. The water should be, free
of microorganisms, clear, colorless, noncor-
rosive, and free of minerals (known as soft
water). Hard water, which contains minerals,
may interfere with the action of some clean-
ing compounds, thereby limiting their ability
to perform effectively (although some clean-
ing compounds can counteract the adverse
effects of hard water). The hardness of water
affects cleaning compound consumption and
may cause the formation of films, scale, or
precipitates on equipment surfaces.

Cleaning compound characteristics.........................................................

Food particles and other debris provide
the nutrients required for microorganisms to

proliferate. Microorganisms are protected

during a cleaning operation by neutralizing

the effects of chlorinated cleaning com-

pounds and sanitizers, thereby preventing

penetration to the microbes. Soil must be

removed thoroughly through use of mechan-

ical energy and cleaning compounds, to pro-

vide a microbially clean environment.

How Cleaning Compounds Function

The major functions of a cleaning com-

pound are to lower the surface tension of water

so that soils may be dislodged and loosened and

to suspend soil particles for subsequent flushing

away. To complete the cleaning process, a san-

itizer is applied to destroy residual microor-

ganisms that are exposed through cleaning.

One of the oldest and best-known clean-

ing compounds is plain soap. However, it has

limited utility in food processing and food-

service units and is rarely used because it

does not clean well and reacts with hard

water to form an insoluble curd (such as a

bathtub ring). A basic soap contributes to

cleaning through the removal of fats, oils,

and greases by suspending particles of these

water-insoluble materials, although a resid-

ual film will exist. The suspension process of

water-insoluble materials through interac-

tion with soap is called emulsification.

In emulsification, the cleaning compound

interacts with water and the soil. Figure 9–1

illustrates that the hydrophilic portion of a

146 PRINCIPLES OFFOODSANITATION

Figure 9–1Anionic surfacant molecule.