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Cleaning and sanitation program

Introduction

What are cleaning and sanitizing?

Cleaning is defined as the removal of dirt or debris by physical and/or chemical means.

Sanitize is defined as the reduction of microorganisms to levels considered safe from a public health viewpoint. Sanitizing takes place after the cleaning step because it is most effective on a minimally soiled surface.

An effective cleaning and sanitation program prevents contamination of a food from the hazards that can be present on equipment, food contact surfaces, and in the general premises by:

Taking steps to reduce the presence of microorganisms also prevents contamination of a food with spoilage microorganisms. This can result in a food of higher quality and a longer shelf life.

Premises and equipment that present less risk of contamination to a food, such as those used for packaged food, may not need to be sanitized. However, clean conditions are still needed:

Purpose

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) created this document as guidance to help food businesses comply with the requirements set out in the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations.

It's your choice

You may use other guidance developed by provincial governments, industry associations, international partners or academic bodies as long as they can achieve the outcomes identified in the regulations. Always ensure that the guidance you choose is relevant for your particular business, product or products, and market requirements.

What is included

The document outlines what you should consider and include in your written cleaning and sanitation program

Refer to the Tell me more! section for additional sources of information that may help you develop your cleaning and sanitation program.

What is not included

While the document provides examples of how to develop a cleaning and sanitation program, it is not exhaustive – the cleaning and sanitizing activities required will be unique for each business. The methods of cleaning and sanitation will depend on the size and complexity of the food business.

Roles and responsibilities

Food businesses are responsible for complying with the law. They demonstrate compliance by ensuring that the commodities and processes for which they are responsible meet regulatory requirements. If a written Preventive Control Plan (PCP) is required, the food business develops a PCP with supporting documents, monitors and maintains evidence of its implementation, and verifies that all control measures are effective.

The CFIA verifies the compliance of a food business by conducting activities that include inspection, and surveillance. When non-compliance is identified, the CFIA takes appropriate compliance and enforcement actions.

Cleaning and sanitation program

There are three steps used in the development of a Cleaning and Sanitation Program:

  1. Gather key information
    • this includes: who, where, what, when and how to clean and sanitize. Because this information will form the basis of the Cleaning and Sanitation Program, the more detailed the information, the more effective the program will be
  2. Develop templates for records
    • when completed these records provide evidence that the cleaning and sanitizing activities were completed and are effective
  3. Implement the program

Step 1. Gather key information needed to develop the Cleaning and sanitation program

Think about…

Now write it down…

Your written program should describe:

Who?

Where?

What?

When?

How?

Include any special instructions required in the cleaning and sanitation process, for example:

Quick tip

CFIA recommends seeking expert advice from a chemical supply representative should you have any questions on cleaning and sanitizing chemicals relating to your operation, and their proper use.

Evidence of effectiveness

Next obtain evidence that the cleaning and sanitizing procedures conducted are effective.

Step 2 Develop templates for records

Cleaning and sanitizing activities should be recorded on a standardized form that indicates:

Step 3 Implement the cleaning and sanitation program

Important

Training people on handling and using chemicals, as well as cleaning and sanitizing procedures, reduces health and safety risks, decreases the likelihood of food contamination and helps ensure that cleaning and sanitation procedures are properly followed.

Once the Cleaning and Sanitation Program has been determined to be effective and the people who will be doing the cleaning and sanitizing have been trained to perform their assigned duties, you are now ready to put your program in action!

During the early stages of implementation spend time to make sure things are going as planned. If not, be prepared to make changes to your Cleaning and Sanitation Program.

Quick tip

Although employees should be familiar with the procedures for cleaning and sanitizing, it is useful to post, in each location, the Cleaning and Sanitation Program requirements specific to that area.

Tell me more! Further reading

The following references contain information that helps explain food safety controls, demonstrates how to develop them, and provides examples. The CFIA is not responsible for the content of documents that are created by other government agencies or international sources.

CFIA references

Other references

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