Define cleaning.

• A. A process of cleaning to remove residue.
• B. A process of removing food residues, dirt and grease.
• C. A process of heating to kill bacteria.
• D. A process of packaging food.

Answer: (B)

Cleaning is the process of removing soils from surfaces, equipment, and utensils so they are free of dirt and food residues. It uses water, detergents, and mechanical action to lift and wash away substances. The reason this option is the best fit is that it explicitly covers the main types of soils found in a food environment—food residues, dirt, and grease—and focuses on removal, which is what cleaning is. It’s distinct from sanitizing, which aims to kill or reduce bacteria after cleaning; heating to kill bacteria would be sanitizing, not cleaning. Packaging has nothing to do with removing soils. The alternative that only mentions removing residue is incomplete because it omits dirt and grease.