In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we talk to Michael (Mike) Cramer, author of Food Plant Sanitation—now in its third edition! Mike has nearly 43 years of experience in food safety and quality assurance (FSQA) and sanitation at meat and poultry processors and major frozen foods producers, having retired from Ajinomoto Foods North America in 2021. He discusses his learnings throughout his time in industry and provides guidance, resources, and valuable insights for both experienced and up-and-coming FSQA professionals looking to implement effective sanitation programs and foster healthy food safety cultures at their organizations. 

This article will focus on why third-shift food and beverage sanitation work can be so challenging and dangerous, why it receives so much attention from OSHA, and what resources and control strategies are available for employers. The authors discuss the physical and chemical challenges with food processing equipment design and sanitation requirements as they relate to the safe performance of cleaning tasks.