In the dishwashing process, what step follows cleaning and rinsing?

• A. Air-dry
• B. Sanitize
• C. Inspect
• D. Store

Answer: (B)

After cleaning and rinsing, sanitizing is performed to kill remaining microbes and reduce their numbers to safe levels. Cleaning removes soil, and rinsing clears loosened debris, but they don’t reliably eliminate pathogens. Sanitizing uses hot water or approved chemical sanitizers to lower the microbial load, which helps prevent illness and meets food-safety standards. Once items are sanitized, they are typically allowed to air-dry before storing; this drying step helps prevent recontamination. Inspecting and storing come later in the sequence, after sanitation and drying.