What does it mean to sanitize food preparation surfaces?

Sanitizing food preparation surfaces involves reducing the number of microorganisms to a safe level, which is crucial for preventing foodborne illnesses. This process typically follows cleaning, which focuses on removing food residues, dirt, and grease. While cleaning is the first step to ensure that surfaces are visually and physically clean, sanitizing specifically targets pathogens that can cause sickness.

The focus of sanitizing is not to eliminate all microorganisms completely, as this is practically impossible and not necessarily required for food safety. Moreover, simply removing visible dirt does not effectively address the presence of harmful bacteria or viruses. Refrigerating surfaces is not a standard practice for ensuring hygiene and safety in food preparation. Therefore, the emphasis on reducing microorganisms to a safe level captures the essential purpose of sanitization in maintaining food safety standards.