“Clean” can be such a dirty word. What does it really mean? The words “sanitation” and “cleaning” are often used interchangeably. However, to be effective, cleaning and sanitation are two separate steps. “Cleaning” refers to the removal of soil and debris, usually visible, from a surface. This step is critical because dirt is organic material that can decrease effectiveness of a sanitizer. “Sanitation” is the actual destruction of bacteria or microbes to a safe level. Cleaning must be performed prior to sanitation to ensure an effective process.
Often, areas of egg-processing facilities appear clean—without visible debris and residue from previous processing shifts—but in fact have high levels of bacteria present. In the early 2000s, U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) scientists and university collaborators swabbed shell egg processing facilities before and after sanitation procedures. In all instances and across all populations monitored, no significant changes in microbial levels occurred. The facilities all looked visibly cleaner when the postsanitation swabs were collected, yet laboratory analysis proved this not to be case. There was more work to be done.