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Ontario Food Handler overview

Ontario Food Handler: Cleaning and sanitizing

The difference between cleaning and sanitizing; chlorine, quat and iodine strengths; 77 °C hot water and 45-second contact; three- and two-compartment sinks; dishwasher temperatures; cutting boards, tables, equipment, handwash sinks, washrooms and garbage.

  • 36 questions
  • Topic drill
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Cleaning and sanitizing · Question 1Score 0/0

How should dishes be dried after sanitizing?

Study reference: Food Safety: A Guide for Ontario's Foodhandlers (MOHLTC, updated January 2017), Ch. 8 Cleaning and Sanitizing — cleaning, sanitizing, chemical sanitizers, dishwashing, food contact surfaces, facility, garbage

All 36 questions in this test

Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.

  1. How should dishes be dried after sanitizing?

    1. Wiped with a clean dish towel
    2. Air dried on a sloped drainboard
    3. Dried with paper napkins
    4. Dried on the worker's apron

  2. An iodine-based sanitizer should be at what concentration?

    1. 250 ppm
    2. 100 ppm
    3. 200 ppm
    4. 25 ppm

  3. When sanitizing with hot water alone, how hot must the water be?

    1. At least 77 °C (170 °F)
    2. At least 43 °C (110 °F)
    3. At least 60 °C (140 °F)
    4. At least 50 °C (122 °F)

  4. Which item belongs in a written cleaning schedule?

    1. The staff's lunch orders
    2. The day's menu specials
    3. The supplier's phone number
    4. Who will do each job

  5. What is the difference between cleaning and sanitizing?

    1. They mean exactly the same thing
    2. Cleaning is only for floors and walls
    3. Sanitizing removes soil; cleaning kills germs
    4. Cleaning removes soil; sanitizing cuts germs

  6. How much 5% household bleach makes a 100 ppm sanitizer in one litre of water?

    1. 20 mL
    2. 2 mL
    3. 0.5 mL
    4. 50 mL

  7. Quaternary ammonium (quat) sanitizer should be mixed to what strength?

    1. 50 ppm
    2. 25 ppm
    3. 2,000 ppm
    4. 200 ppm

  8. A cutting board looks spotless after washing. Why must it still be sanitized?

    1. Inspectors check for a bleach smell
    2. Sanitizing makes it look shinier
    3. Washing leaves a sticky film
    4. It can still carry unsafe levels of germs

  9. What strength should a chlorine (bleach) sanitizer be?

    1. 25 ppm
    2. 500 ppm
    3. 100 ppm
    4. 1,000 ppm

  10. How do you check that a chemical sanitizing solution is strong enough?

    1. Taste a drop on your finger
    2. Smell it for a strong odour
    3. Check that it looks cloudy
    4. Use test strips or a test reagent

  11. In a high-temperature dishwasher, how hot must the sanitizing rinse be?

    1. 60 °C (140 °F) or higher
    2. 43 °C (110 °F) or higher
    3. 71 °C (160 °F) or higher
    4. 82 °C (180 °F) or higher

  12. What temperature should the rinse water be in the second sink of a three-compartment sink?

    1. At least 43 °C (110 °F)
    2. About 4 °C (40 °F)
    3. At least 82 °C (180 °F)
    4. At least 77 °C (170 °F)

  13. A restaurant plans to renovate its kitchen. What does the guide recommend before work starts?

    1. Close the restaurant for a year
    2. Ask customers to vote on the layout
    3. Start building and have it inspected once finished
    4. Send the plans to the health unit for review

  14. A kitchen garbage can is full. What should be done?

    1. Wait until the end of the shift
    2. Put a second bag on top
    3. Press the garbage down to fit more
    4. Empty it right away

  15. A deli slicer is used all afternoon at room temperature. How often must it be cleaned and sanitized?

    1. Only at closing time each day
    2. Every 30 minutes
    3. Once a week
    4. At least every four hours

  16. What is the correct order for a three-compartment sink?

    1. Rinse, sanitize, wash
    2. Wash, rinse, sanitize
    3. Wash, sanitize, rinse
    4. Sanitize, wash, rinse

  17. A plate comes out of the dishwasher with a chip on the rim. What should you do?

    1. Sand the chip smooth and reuse it
    2. Put it at the bottom of the stack
    3. Use it for takeout orders
    4. Throw it away

  18. What can happen if sanitizer is mixed too strong?

    1. It can leave a taste or be a health hazard
    2. It stops working after one use
    3. It turns dishes a different colour
    4. It kills germs too slowly

  19. Which supplies must a handwash sink have?

    1. Hot and cold water, dispensed soap, single-use towels
    2. Hot water, a bar of soap and a shared cloth towel for staff
    3. A nail brush and a hand cream
    4. Cold water and a bar of soap only

  20. How often must multi-service articles, such as reusable plates and cutlery, be cleaned and sanitized?

    1. Once a week
    2. Once a day
    3. After each use
    4. When they look dirty

  21. What must every mechanical dishwasher have?

    1. Gauges showing wash and rinse temperatures
    2. A separate handwash sink inside
    3. A timer that rings every hour to signal a refill
    4. A logbook signed by customers

  22. How should a dining table be cleaned between customers?

    1. Left until the end of the shift
    2. Wiped with the server's apron between tables
    3. Brushed off with a napkin
    4. Cleaned and sanitized with a clean cloth

  23. How should cups and glasses be loaded into a dishwasher rack?

    1. Open side up
    2. Open side down
    3. Stacked inside each other
    4. On their sides, touching

  24. Which sanitizer may not kill all types of microorganisms, according to the guide?

    1. Water at 77 °C
    2. Iodine at 25 ppm
    3. Chlorine solution at 100 ppm
    4. Quaternary ammonium (quats)

  25. How long must the 82 °C rinse last in a high-temperature dishwasher?

    1. At least 1 second
    2. At least 45 seconds
    3. At least 5 minutes
    4. At least 10 seconds

  26. Under the regulation, a chlorine or quat sanitizing solution must be at least what temperature?

    1. 24 °C
    2. 43 °C
    3. 4 °C
    4. 77 °C

  27. How often must washroom fixtures in a food premise be cleaned and sanitized?

    1. Only after inspections
    2. Once a week, plus after any inspection
    3. At least once a day, and as needed
    4. Once a month

  28. Which is the best choice for a cutting board material, according to the guide?

    1. Varnished wood
    2. Plastic
    3. Cardboard
    4. Glass

  29. What must always be done before a surface is sanitized?

    1. It must be heated to 100 °C
    2. It must be cleaned
    3. It must be covered with foil
    4. It must be dried with a towel

  30. How long must items be in contact with sanitizer or 77 °C water?

    1. At least 45 seconds
    2. At least 2 hours
    3. At least 10 minutes
    4. At least 5 seconds

  31. What may a handwash sink be used for?

    1. Rinsing dirty pots
    2. Dumping out mop water
    3. Thawing frozen shrimp
    4. Only for washing hands

  32. When may a two-compartment sink be used instead of three?

    1. Whenever the kitchen is busy
    2. For all dishes in any restaurant
    3. When no multi-service dishes are washed
    4. When the water is extra hot

  33. Why is rinsing between the wash and sanitize sinks so important?

    1. It adds shine to the glasses
    2. It saves on sanitizer costs
    3. Leftover detergent weakens the sanitizer
    4. It cools dishes before sanitizing

  34. Why must wooden food contact surfaces not be varnished or sealed?

    1. Sealed wood cannot be cut on
    2. The finish wears and chemicals get into food
    3. Varnish makes them too slippery to cut on safely
    4. Varnish attracts pests

  35. Which animal may be in the dining area of an Ontario restaurant that prepares food?

    1. A customer's pet cat
    2. A service animal
    3. A pet parrot in a cage
    4. A lap dog that is well behaved

  36. Under the regulation, the wash water in a mechanical dishwasher must stay within what range?

    1. 24 °C to 43 °C
    2. 60 °C to 71 °C
    3. 77 °C to 82 °C
    4. 43 °C to 50 °C

Cleaning and sanitizing: key rules to remember

Our summary of what the official handbook says on this topic, in our own words. Read it before or after the practice questions above, then check the original chapter. Read the official chapter ↗

Cleaning vs sanitizing

  • Cleaning removes dirt/soil using chemicals and friction: remove debris, clean with chemical + friction, rinse with hot tap water.
  • Food contact surfaces can look clean but still be unsafe → sanitize after cleaning.
  • Sanitizing reduces microorganisms to safe levels. Always clean first; hot water at least 77 °C (170 °F) or a chemical; contact at least 45 seconds; check with test reagents/strips or a thermometer; follow the manufacturer's directions.
  • Too little chemical won't kill germs; too much can cause chemical contamination.
  • Regulation definition: sanitizing reduces microorganisms to a level that won't compromise food safety.

Chemical sanitizers

  • Chlorine 100 ppm: 2 mL of 5% household bleach per litre of water (also Toronto Public Health "Eight steps": 2 mL bleach per 1 L water).
  • Quaternary ammonium ("quats") 200 ppm; may need a rinse per label; may not kill all types of microorganisms.
  • Iodine 25 ppm.
  • Three factors: contact (45 s), selectivity, concentration. Too strong may leave a taste/smell, damage metal, or be a health hazard. Automatic dispensers are best.
  • Sanitize dishes after cleaning, tables between customers, prep areas between different foods.
  • Regulation s. 19: hot water ≥ 77 °C ≥ 45 s; chlorine ≥ 100 ppm at ≥ 24 °C ≥ 45 s; quat ≥ 200 ppm at ≥ 24 °C ≥ 45 s; iodine ≥ 25 ppm at ≥ 24 °C ≥ 45 s; other agents approved by Health Canada, CFIA or MOH, used per instructions, with a test reagent available.

Manual dishwashing

  • Three-compartment sink required for multi-service articles: scrape/pre-rinse; wash (warm water + detergent); rinse in clean water at least 43 °C (110 °F) — leftover detergent weakens sanitizer; sanitize (77 °C water or chemical in water at least 24 °C, 45 s); air dry on a non-porous sloped drainboard — never towel dry.
  • Two-compartment sink: wash and rinse in the first (rinse under running tap), sanitize in the second; only if no multi-service articles (single-service dishes, or large pots too big for the machine). (Reg s. 18.)

Mechanical dishwashers

  • Gauges showing wash and rinse temperatures required.
  • High-temperature machine: rinse at 82 °C (180 °F) or higher for at least 10 seconds; booster if needed.
  • Low-temperature machine: chemical sanitizer in the rinse; test strips available. Don't overcrowd; bowls/cups/glasses open side down; mix cutlery so it doesn't nest.
  • Regulation s. 20: wash water 60–71 °C; rinse ≥ 82 °C for 10 s or chemical; thermometers easily read; NSF-certified commercial machines exempt.

After washing, general cleaning, surfaces, tables, equipment

  • Store clean dishes on cleaned/sanitized surfaces, at least 15 cm off the floor, away from dust/garbage/splashes; only once dry and cool. Discard cracked, chipped or warped dishes. Wash hands before handling clean dishes.
  • Cleaning schedule: each job, who, chemicals/tools, how often, follow-up check.
  • Many small cutting boards better than a few big ones; colour coding (red raw meat, green vegetables, orange bread). Plastic good; hardwood allowed if free of gaps/cracks; wooden surfaces not varnished or sealed; replace badly cracked/gouged boards.
  • Tables cleaned and sanitized between customers with a clean damp cloth or paper towel; cloths used for no other purpose (reg s. 16). Linens changed between settings and laundered.
  • Equipment used continuously at room temperature or with hazardous food (slicers, grinders, food processors): clean and sanitize at least every four hours and between raw and ready-to-eat use.
  • Facility: floors tight, smooth, non-absorbent; walls/ceilings easy to clean; replace water-damaged ceiling tiles.

Washrooms, handwash sink, garbage, animals, layout

  • Washroom fixtures cleaned and sanitized at least once a day and as needed.
  • Handwash sink in each area where food is prepared or utensils washed; hot and cold water, soap in a dispenser, single-use towels (or cloth roller towel plus paper towels). Only for handwashing — no food prep, dishes, dumping pot water or buckets.
  • Garbage: enough containers, emptied when full, lids, cleaned and sanitized; outdoor containers pest-proof; spills cleaned right away. Reg s. 12: removed as often as necessary.
  • Live animals not permitted except service animals and aquatic species in sanitary tanks (reg s. 14 also allows dogs on outdoor patios where no food is prepared).
  • Send plans to the health unit before building or renovating.

O. Reg. 493/17, ss. 21–23

  • Multi-service articles cleaned and sanitized after each use (s. 21(1)).
  • Toxic substances in a separate compartment from food, labelled, and used so as not to contaminate food (s. 23).

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