Sanitation Best Practices By Michael M. Cramer “Since QA is
making us clean our tools, they should pay for the chemicals!”
—A plant maintenance employee upon finding out he has to clean
and sanitize his tools Product safety and quality are highly
dependent on sanitation, as improper sanitation will result in
reduced shelf life and increased loss due to spoilage.
Sanitation is a prerequisite to HACCP and is intended to reduce
the incidence of microbiological, chemical and physical hazards
in the food manufacturing environment. The most effective
sanitation program can be nullified if employees do not follow
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), thus creating contamination
conditions. Conversely, strong sanitation programs,
incorporating multiple interventions and integrated with other
critical food safety systems, will enhance overall product
safety. This article will introduce the basic needs for
effective sanitation and provide basic operational guidelines
pertaining to sanitation practices and sanitation emp