Proper Sanitation of Dishes at a Restaurant

Proper washing and rinsing of dishes in a restaurant are two vital steps toward sanitation. However, a clean-looking dish is not necessarily a germ-free one, and the last step in the dish-washing process is just as important as the first two.

Bleach

• For restaurants without a dish-washing machine, a three-compartment sink for washing, rinsing and sanitizing is usually the chosen method. In the sanitizing sink, the water should be cold, and the amount of bleach should be 100 parts per million (ppm). Dishes should be in the water for 45 seconds. Too little time will not result in sanitation, and too much time will leave an unhealthy, unsightly film on the dishes.

Ammonia

• Ammonia-based sanitizers, also know as quaternary sanitizers, can be used with three-compartment sinks. However, they are most often used in automatic dish-washing machines. The correct amount of solution is 200 ppm.

Handling

• Once you have chosen the chemical route you prefer, it is important for you to realize that the job isn't done. Proper handling of the dishes post-sanitizing is just as important as the initial process. Hands must be clean (or gloved, depending on your area's health code), and the dishes must air dry in a clean place. They must be stored properly, where they will stay clean.