Page 66 - GPHS Environmental Public Health Standards (Foundation of Public Health) v1
P. 66
Cleaning vs. sanitizing
➢ Cleaning involves the elimination of food residues, dirt,
grease, and other undesirable debris by using physical energy,
heat, and/or chemicals like detergents. However, cleaning
only removes dirt from the surface and does not kill all
bacteria.
➢ Sanitizing aims to reduce the levels of bacteria to a safe level
and is usually achieved by using chemicals like disinfectants
and sanitizers, which are intended for food use, or by heat
such as hot water around 82°C or steam.
➢ Disinfection, on the other hand, kills most or all pathogens,
while sterilization kills all pathogens. However, disinfectants
and sterilant products are more commonly used in hotel areas
rather than in food service since they are not food-safe.
