Which statement about disinfection is true?

• A. Disinfection can be achieved with any warm water
• B. Hot water at 82°C can destroy remaining bacteria
• C. Disinfection is not needed in food preparation areas
• D. Disinfection only refers to chemical cleaners

Answer: (B)

Disinfection means lowering the amount of harmful microorganisms on surfaces to safe levels after cleaning. Water alone isn’t enough—it's about reaching a high enough temperature for a sufficient time to reduce or kill microbes. Hot water at 82°C can destroy remaining bacteria if surfaces are exposed to it long enough, so heat-based disinfection is an effective method in the kitchen, for example in dishwashing or sanitizing surfaces. This is why that option is correct: it recognises heat as a valid disinfection method.

The other ideas aren’t correct because warm water that isn’t hot enough or left for the right duration won’t disinfect; disinfection is needed in food preparation areas to control contamination; and disinfection can be achieved by heat as well as chemical cleaners, not exclusively by chemicals.