A sanitation program is a key component of any food processor's or food handler's food safety plan. A well-written and well-executed sanitation program can mitigate, or reduce to an acceptable level, all three classifications of hazards (microbiological, chemical, and physical) in a hazard analysis. Sanitation is one of the four preventive controls (process controls, allergen, sanitation, and other) in the Preventive Controls for Human Food rule of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Sanitation has long been a major prerequisite program for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). Consequently, it is imperative that the sanitation program be functioning and performing according to expectations.

Verification is one method of ensuring that the sanitation program is being consistently implemented and is performing to the expectations of the food safety plan's hazard analysis. Verification is one of the seven principles of HACCP. It is required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in various regulatory statutes. A facility is required to perform verification.