Sanitation and Sanitation Issues at Retail

Abstract

Retail stores present unique cleaning and sanitation issues that may not be present in other food establishments. A retail store is really a combination of small-scale production plants often consisting of a bakery operation, a produce operation, a deli operation, a seafood operation, meat production, as well as various specialty shops—all of which present their own unique and challenging cleaning and sanitizing opportunities. In order to achieve a successful store sanitization program, several components should be indentified and considered. Standard Sanitation Operating Procedures (SSOPs) should be developed and established to identify the proper cleaning procedures for each surface; stores must be equipped with the right equipment, cleaning tools, and personnel; and associate training must be performed on an ongoing basis.

The sanitation process at a retail store involves three basic components: (1) the cleaning step—which is the process of soil removal, (2) the rinsing step—where the cleaning compound is removed from the surface, and (3) the sanitation step—where microbes are reduced to a safe level. The procedure used to clean and sanitize a surface or a piece of equipment must be specific and appropriate for that surface or type of equipment. The procedure used should be validated as to its effectiveness.

In addition to the cleaning process itself, two other factors are key to the effective sanitation of a retail environment. The equipment or surface that is to be cleaned and sanitized has to be designed and maintained in such a manner that facilitates its being cleaned and sanitized. The final and perhaps most important component of sanitation at retail is the associate who will be conducting the cleaning procedure. An associate asked to conduct the cleaning and sanitizing process has to be knowledgeable about the specific procedure, provided the proper time and tools to accomplish the task, and empowered to take appropriate action if the ability to accomplish the task is compromised in any manner.

The retail environment is complex in nature, and this complexity creates challenges when trying to develop and execute an effective sanitation program. These challenges, however, must be met for a retailer to properly assure their sanitation program is providing a safe environment for the production and merchandizing of food.