When should food contact surfaces be sanitized?

Food contact surfaces should be sanitized regularly to minimize the risk of contamination and ensure food safety. The correct answer includes a comprehensive approach to sanitization practices.

Sanitizing food contact surfaces after every use is crucial to eliminate any harmful bacteria or residues that may have been left behind, especially after preparing raw meats or potentially hazardous foods. This helps to prevent cross-contamination, which can lead to foodborne illnesses.

Additionally, sanitizing surfaces before preparing a new food item ensures that any lingering pathogens from the previous food are effectively removed, creating a safe environment for food preparation. This step is particularly important when switching between different types of foods, such as from raw meats to ready-to-eat vegetables.

Finally, having a routine of sanitizing at least once a day further reinforces safe food handling practices. This is especially important in high-traffic food preparation areas, where surfaces are frequently used.

A comprehensive sanitization approach requires that all these practices are followed to ensure the highest food safety standards. Thus, the correct answer encompasses the necessity of sanitizing food contact surfaces regularly and at various stages of food preparation.