When must the cleaning step occur when cleaning and sanitizing in a three- compartment sink?

When must the cleaning step occur when cleaning and sanitizing in a three- compartment sink?

a. Before rinsing

b. After sanitizing

c. Alter towel-drying

d. Before removing food

Answer:- a. Before rinsing

Cleaning and sanitizing should be in a three compartment sink where the cleaning step must precede rinsing. This is the proper order of steps:

Scrape and pre-rinse to remove food debris. Items are soaked and washed in the first compartment sink, using a detergent solution to remove food, oils or other soil. Place items in the middle compartment, rinse them with clean water to remove detergent residue. Finally, sanitize things by putting them in the third compartment that has a sanitizer solution such as chlorine or quaternary ammonium at an appropriate concentration.

Items must be washed before rinsing so that the soils, which could reduce sanitizing effectiveness are removed. If food or oils are left on a surface, they can chemically affect sanitizers and prevent full pathogen inactivation.

Sanitizing is the last thing since it eliminates any remaining pathogens after removal of soils by washing and rinsing. Proper drying using towels should follow sanitizing to prevent recontaminating cleaned items. Proper order ensures items are fully cleaned and disinfected:

1. washing to remove soils

2. rinsing to wash off the residue of detergent, and

3. toweling dry after sanitizing in order not for them to return later due to possible remaining bacterial load. Sanitizers operate most effectively for food safety when following these sequential steps.