Indiana ServSafe NEHA Manager Practice Test 2026 – Complete Exam Prep

The statement that all equipment and surfaces need to be cleaned is foundational in food safety practices. Cleaning refers to the removal of food residue, dirt, and other contaminants from surfaces and equipment, which is essential before any sanitization can take place.

While it's important to note that not all surfaces and equipment must be sanitized in every instance, cleaning is the first critical step in ensuring food safety. For example, cleaning is required for any area that may have come into contact with food, as this helps prevent foodborne illnesses.

Sanitizing is a subsequent process that reduces the number of bacteria to safe levels after cleaning. If equipment and surfaces are not initially cleaned, any sanitizing efforts would be ineffective, as the sanitizing solutions need to have direct contact with clean surfaces to work properly.

In practice, the correct approach includes both cleaning and sanitizing where necessary, particularly in food service environments. The initial focus, however, is on cleaning to ensure effectiveness when sanitizing surfaces that prepare or serve food.