Choosing Detergents and Sanitizers

First, Tell Cleaning and Sanitizing Apart

Cleaning removes visible soil (fat, starch, protein, residue); sanitizing reduces invisible microorganisms to a safe level. The order is always clean first, then sanitize. When there's still grease on the surface, the sanitizer gets used up by the organic matter and its effectiveness drops sharply.

What the Regulations Say

• Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation (食品安全衛生管理法) Article 3: "Food cleansers" are substances used to sanitize or wash foods, food utensils, food containers, or packaging. Detergents and sanitizers used to clean food machinery fall into this category.
• Sanitation Standard for Food Cleansers (食品用洗潔劑衛生標準) Article 3: For liquid cleansers based on synthetic surfactants, the diluted in-use solution must contain no more than 0.05 ppm arsenic and 1 ppm heavy metals; methanol content no more than 1 mg/mL; nonylphenol-type surfactants no more than 0.1% (by weight); no detectable fluorescent whitening agents; and fragrances and colorants limited to permitted food additives.
• Article 4 and Annex Table 1 of the same Standard: Sanitizing ingredients used on food-contact surfaces of food utensils, containers, packaging, and the like, without a subsequent clean water rinse, must comply with the concentration limits in Annex Table 1.
• Annex 2 of the Regulations on Good Hygiene Practice for Food (食品良好衛生規範準則): Detergents and sanitizers must be clearly labeled, stored in a fixed location, and kept by a designated person who records usage; cleaning and sanitizing must prevent detergents or sanitizers from contaminating food-contact surfaces.

In practice, when buying, ask the supplier for documentation that the product complies with the Sanitation Standard for Food Cleansers, and use it at the dilution shown on the label.

Which Detergent Should You Use?

Choose according to the type of soil:

• Alkaline cleaners: Break down fats and proteins; commonly used on equipment for meat fillings, flaky pastry, and butter-based products, and the workhorse of daily cleaning.
• Neutral cleaners: Mild and gentle on materials; suited to light soil and parts that can't tolerate strong alkali.
• Acidic cleaners: Remove scale, mineral deposits (white water marks), and some protein scale; usually used periodically rather than daily.
• Enzyme-based cleaners: Target specific soils such as starch and protein; effective but more sensitive to temperature.

Water temperature, contact time, scrubbing force, and concentration together determine cleaning effectiveness. Higher concentration isn't always better; too much is not only wasteful but also harder to rinse off.

Can You Use Bleach?

Yes. In Annex Table 1 of the Sanitation Standard for Food Cleansers, sodium hypochlorite, the main ingredient of bleach, has a concentration limit of no more than 200 ppm total available chlorine (referring to the diluted solution) when used on food-contact surfaces without rinsing. Annex Table 1 also lists hypochlorous acid, calcium hypochlorite, and other ingredients, likewise at no more than 200 ppm total available chlorine.

Key points for use:

1. Calculate the dilution ratio from the available chlorine concentration on the bleach label, and confirm with test strips.
2. Clean first, then sanitize; with a lot of organic matter, chlorine quickly loses effectiveness.
3. Mix solutions fresh for immediate use; concentration drops if they sit.
4. Never mix with acidic cleaners, which produces toxic chlorine gas.

Do You Need to Rinse After Sanitizing?

It depends on the sanitizing ingredient and how it's used:

• Ingredients in Annex Table 1 of the sanitation standard, used within their concentration limits, don't need to be rinsed off; Note 3 to Annex Table 1 reminds users that after use, they should be properly drained or allowed to air-dry and evaporate, so no cleanser residue remains on food-contact surfaces.
• Ingredients not in Annex Table 1, or used above the limits, must be rinsed off with potable water after sanitizing.
• Note 2 to Annex Table 1 indicates that some ingredients may not be used on dairy processing equipment, so check carefully before using them on dairy equipment.

Actual practice should follow the sanitizer's product label and your own sanitation standard operating procedures.

Can Detergents Damage Stainless Steel?

Yes. Stainless steel isn't "rustproof"; it has a protective film on its surface. The following can break it down:

• Chlorine sanitizers at too high a concentration or soaked too long: may cause pitting (small black spots or pits).
• Prolonged contact with strong acids or alkalis: especially at high temperatures.
• Scrubbing with steel brushes or scouring pads: scratches the surface and may leave iron particles that cause rust spots.
• Residue that isn't rinsed off: Dried detergent residue continues to corrode.

Countermeasures: use products at the labeled concentration and time, rinse, and dry; aluminum, copper, and some plastic and rubber parts are more sensitive to alkali or chlorine, so choose detergents according to the manufacturer's instructions.

FAQ

Q: Can I wash machines with household dish soap?
A: Use products that comply with the Sanitation Standard for Food Cleansers, diluted according to the label.

Q: How strong should bleach be for soaking?
A: When used on food-contact surfaces without rinsing, no more than 200 ppm total available chlorine.

Q: Do I need to rinse with water after sanitizing?
A: Annex Table 1 ingredients within the limits don't need rinsing, but should be allowed to drain or air-dry; in other cases, rinse with potable water.

Q: Can bleach and acidic cleaners be used together?
A: Absolutely not; it produces toxic chlorine gas.