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Home›Courses›Safety Training›Cleaning and Sanitizing In A Food/Pharmaceutical Processing Facility Interactive Training

Cleaning and Sanitizing In A Food/Pharmaceutical Processing Facility Interactive Training

35 minutesENSafety TrainingFDA 21 CFR Part 117 (Food cGMP) - FDA 21 CFR Parts 210-211 (Pharma cGMP) - OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1200 (HAZCOM)
Quick Answer

Cleaning and Sanitizing in a Food/Pharmaceutical Processing Facility is a 35-minute online course that trains employees on proper cleaning procedures, sanitizing protocols, and chemical handling practices required in food and pharmaceutical production environments. It is designed for sanitation crews, production workers, and quality assurance personnel in FDA-regulated facilities, and includes a downloadable certificate of completion.

Course Overview

The FDA regulates sanitation in food processing facilities under 21 CFR Part 117 (Current Good Manufacturing Practice) and pharmaceutical facilities under 21 CFR Parts 210-211. Sanitation failures are among the most common reasons for FDA warning letters, recalls, and enforcement actions. The CDC estimates that 48 million Americans experience foodborne illness each year, resulting in 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. In pharmaceutical manufacturing, contamination events can lead to product recalls costing millions of dollars and posing serious patient safety risks. Employers must ensure that all personnel involved in cleaning and sanitizing operations are properly trained in approved procedures and chemical handling.

This course prepares your facility's sanitation and production employees to perform cleaning and sanitizing operations correctly, safely, and in compliance with regulatory requirements. Your team will learn the difference between cleaning and sanitizing, how to select and dilute approved chemicals, proper equipment disassembly and reassembly for cleaning, and the verification steps that confirm sanitation effectiveness. The training addresses both food contact surfaces and pharmaceutical production environments where contamination control is critical to product safety.

What You'll Learn

  • The critical difference between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting in regulated environments
  • FDA Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) sanitation requirements
  • Proper selection, dilution, and application of approved cleaning chemicals
  • Equipment disassembly, cleaning, and reassembly procedures for food contact surfaces
  • Sanitation verification methods including visual inspection, ATP testing, and swab testing
  • Chemical hazard awareness and PPE requirements during sanitation operations
  • Documentation and recordkeeping requirements for sanitation logs

Who Needs This Training

  • Sanitation crew members performing daily, weekly, and deep-cleaning operations in processing facilities
  • Production line workers responsible for cleaning equipment between runs and changeovers
  • Quality assurance and quality control personnel verifying sanitation effectiveness
  • Supervisors overseeing sanitation operations in food or pharmaceutical plants
  • New hires at FDA-regulated manufacturing facilities requiring GMP orientation
  • Maintenance technicians who disassemble and reassemble equipment for cleaning

Regulatory Background

FDA regulates sanitation practices in food manufacturing under 21 CFR Part 117 (Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food) and in pharmaceutical manufacturing under 21 CFR Parts 210-211 (Current Good Manufacturing Practice for Drugs). These regulations require employers to maintain sanitary conditions, train employees in hygienic practices, and document cleaning and sanitizing procedures. OSHA's Hazard Communication standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) - the 2nd most-cited violation in FY 2025 with 2,546 citations - also applies to the cleaning chemicals used in these operations, requiring Safety Data Sheets, labeling, and employee training. FDA warning letters related to sanitation deficiencies remain among the most common enforcement actions in both food and pharmaceutical sectors, and recalls triggered by contamination can cost manufacturers millions in product losses and brand damage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cleaning removes visible soil, food residue, and debris from surfaces using detergents and physical scrubbing. Sanitizing reduces microbial contamination on already-clean surfaces to safe levels using approved chemical agents or heat. Both steps are required in sequence - sanitizing a surface that has not been properly cleaned first is ineffective. FDA cGMP regulations require both processes as part of a facility's sanitation program.
Food facilities must comply with 21 CFR Part 117 (Preventive Controls for Human Food), which includes sanitation requirements as part of Current Good Manufacturing Practice. Pharmaceutical facilities are governed by 21 CFR Parts 210-211, which establish cGMP requirements including cleaning validation, equipment sanitation, and environmental monitoring. Both frameworks require documented procedures and trained personnel.
OSHA's Hazard Communication standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) requires employers to maintain Safety Data Sheets for all cleaning and sanitizing chemicals, ensure proper labeling of chemical containers, and train employees on chemical hazards and safe handling. HAZCOM was the 2nd most-cited OSHA violation in FY 2025 with 2,546 citations. Sanitation workers who handle concentrated chemicals face specific exposure risks that must be addressed through training and PPE.
FDA regulations require facilities to maintain sanitation standard operating procedures (SSOPs), cleaning and sanitizing logs with dates, times, and responsible personnel, chemical concentration verification records, and corrective action documentation when sanitation failures are identified. These records must be available for FDA inspection and are frequently reviewed during regulatory audits.
Sanitation deficiencies can trigger FDA warning letters, mandatory product recalls, and consent decrees requiring facility shutdown until compliance is achieved. In food manufacturing, contamination events can lead to foodborne illness outbreaks affecting thousands of consumers. In pharmaceutical manufacturing, contamination can result in adulterated product that poses direct patient safety risks. Both scenarios carry significant financial liability and reputational damage.

Related Courses

Employers in FDA-regulated facilities often pair this sanitation training with HAZCOM: In The Know to ensure employees understand the chemical hazards associated with cleaning products, and general PPE training to cover the protective equipment required during sanitation operations.

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$29.95
per person
Volume Pricing
Team Size Price per Person
1 - 9$29.95
10 - 24$23.95
25 - 49$21.55
50 - 99$17.50
Subtotal $29.95

Certificate of completion included. Downloadable upon passing the final assessment.

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$29.95
per person