How often should sanitizing solutions be changed?

Sanitizing solutions should be changed every two hours to ensure they remain effective in killing pathogens and maintaining a safe food environment. Over time, the concentration of the active ingredients in sanitizers can diminish due to exposure to air, light, and other environmental factors. Additionally, frequent use can lead to contamination of the sanitizing solution itself. Therefore, changing the solution every two hours helps to ensure that food contact surfaces are sanitized with a potent and effective solution.

While changing sanitizing solutions once a day or at the end of each shift might seem adequate, this practice does not take into account the potential reduction in effectiveness over time. Similarly, only changing the solution when it appears visibly dirty is not sufficient, as microbial contamination may not always be visible to the naked eye. Regularly scheduled changes, such as every two hours, are a best practice that maintains hygiene and food safety standards effectively.