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Food Science & Technology vocabulary · Food Safety and HACCP

Sanitation

Meaning in food science & technology, with examples

/ˌsænɪˈteɪʃən/nounCore term

In food science & technology, sanitation means: The cleaning and sanitizing of equipment, surfaces and the whole plant so that dirt, food residues and microorganisms are removed or reduced to safe levels.

In Turkish: sanitasyon, temizlik ve dezenfeksiyon

How it is used

Common in North American plants, where a sanitation crew often cleans at night and follows written sanitation procedures (SSOPs). The usual order is: remove debris, rinse, clean with detergent, rinse, then sanitize. To 'sanitize' is to reduce microbes to safe levels; to 'disinfect' is a stronger kill.

Example sentences

  1. The sanitation team starts at 10 p.m. after the last shift finishes.

  2. Swab results after sanitation showed the filler was still not clean.

Common collocations

  • sanitation crew
  • sanitation procedure
  • master sanitation schedule
  • sanitize surfaces
  • SSOP
  • hygieneThe conditions and practices, such as cleaning, handwashing and protective clothing, that prevent food from being contaminated by people, equipment or the environment.
  • clean-in-placeAn automatic system that cleans the inside of pipes, tanks, heat exchangers and fillers by circulating water and cleaning chemicals, without taking the equipment apart.
  • cross-contaminationThe transfer of harmful microorganisms, allergens or other contaminants from one food, surface, tool or person to another food.
  • prerequisite programA basic hygiene or operating condition, such as cleaning, pest control, staff hygiene or maintenance, that must be in place before a HACCP system can work.
  • pest controlThe planned measures that keep rodents, insects and birds out of food premises and find and deal with any that get in.

More terms: Food Safety and HACCP

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