that should continue in the years ahead.
Many of these food plants are hygienically
designed; nevertheless, foods can be con-
taminated with spoilage microorganisms or
those that cause foodborne illness if proper
sanitary practices are not followed. How-
ever, hygienic and safe foods can be pro-
duced with sanitary practices, even in older
plants. Sanitary practices can be as impor-
tant to the wholesomeness and safety of
food as are the characteristics of the physi-
cal plant.
With increased productivity, convenience
foods and other long shelf-life processed foods
are affected by problems created through
advanced technology. The major problems
have been with food contamination and
waste disposal.
Few programs provide formal training in
food sanitation and food safety assurance.
Only a limited number of institutions offer
even one course related to food sanitation
and limited resource materials are available
to sanitarians. A limited amount of educa-
tion and training materials and manuals are
published through trade associations and
regulatory agencies.
Gravani (1997) stated that never in recent
history have Americans been more con-
cerned about the quality and safety of the
food supply. Of approximately 76 million
people that become ill from foodborne ill-
nesses, 325,000 are hospitalized, and approx-
imately 5,000 die in the United States each
year. The national economic impact of these
illnesses is estimated to be between $10 bil-
lion and $83 billion per year.
Some food processing, retail food store,
and foodservice operators offer excuses for
poor sanitation in their establishment(s).
Yet, the reasons for not establishing such a
program are more compelling, because they
relate to the bottom line of a profit and loss
statement. A sanitation programis “a planned
way of practicing sanitation.” It results in a
number of significant benefits for both the
public and the businesses conducting the pro-
gram. The old adage, “Sanitation doesn’t cost,
it pays,” says it all.
Most owners or managers of food facili-
ties want a clean and sanitary operation.
However, unsanitary operations frequently
result from a lack of understanding of the
principles of sanitation and the benefits that
effective sanitation will provide. The follow-
ing brief discussion of these benefits shows
that sanitationis not a “dirty” word.- Inspection is becoming more strin-
gent because inspectors are using the
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point
(HACCP) concept to establish compli-
ance. HACCP-based inspections focus
on the items critical to the safety of
foods. Thus, an effective sanitation pro-
gram is essential. - Foodborne illness can be controlled
when sanitation is properly implemented
in all food operations. Common prob-
lems caused by poor sanitation are food
spoilage through off-odor and flavor.
Spoiled foods are objectionable to
consumers and cause reduced sales,
increased consumer complaints, and
increased claims. Off-condition pro-
ducts convey the lack of an effective
sanitation program. When consumers
think that they have become ill from
food, they notify regulatory authorities
and often seek compensation for their
illness and inconvenience. - An effective sanitation program can
improve product quality and shelf life
because the microbial population can
be reduced. Increased labor, product
loss, packaging costs, and reduced pro-
duct value due to poor sanitation can
cause a decrease of 5% to 10% of profit
of meat operations in a supermarket.
A well-developed and well-maintained