When should food contact surfaces be sanitized?

Sanitizing food contact surfaces is essential for preventing cross-contamination and ensuring food safety. The recommended practice is to sanitize these surfaces after each use and when switching between raw and ready-to-eat foods. This is crucial because raw foods, particularly meat, poultry, and seafood, can harbor harmful bacteria that, if transferred to ready-to-eat foods, can lead to foodborne illnesses.

By sanitizing after each use, you eliminate any pathogens that may have been transferred during the preparation process, thereby maintaining a safe environment for food handling. Additionally, the practice of sanitizing when switching between raw and ready-to-eat foods specifically targets the highest risk periods for contamination, ensuring that surfaces are always safe for food contact.

This thorough approach to sanitization minimizes the risk of cross-contamination and helps ensure compliance with food safety regulations, ultimately protecting public health.