Is it necessary to be able to submerge any and all items one uses to prepare food entirely in the 3 bin sink ? For example the standard size of dough tray seems to be 26". Then will I need a 3 bin sink with each sink being > 26" ?! I know it may vary on health dept but say going by ServSafe suggestions? I was under the impression the answer is YES but 26" seems large for a 3 bin sink. Thank you.
In my area the rule is that your largest item must be able to be submerged at least 50%. This way you can turn it over and submerge it the other way so that both ends get washed and sanitized.
Thats what we do.
There is also a “sanitize in place” procedure that should be able to qualify I’d think.
Thanks. the 50% thing seemed logical to me but had never heard of it. The health dept people here do not really want to talk to me until I’ve leased a place, even though I took their ServSafe course. However I had never seen a sink that large (28" wide or deep). Thanks again.
Hi PJ:
Just about every place in the country it is required to have a sink of sufficient size to handle your largest item.
The sinks we are supplying to all new pizza shops we are equipping are 102 inch long
and the triple bowls are 22" X 26". That unit will take a sheet pan submerged and a 60 qt mixer bowl on its side half submerged which meets the code.
George Mills
In practicality, we wash our dough boxes, then spray them prodigiously with quaternary sanitizer. Our sinks are capable of half submersion. Health department gave me a pass on the wash and spray for that item only. Not as certain as total sumersion, but we are only talking about some dried on flour/dough bits.
I believe every health dept has exemptions for large or stationary items. They have too. There are items that have to be washed and sanitized in place or are just too big to wash in a sink. It’s the procedures that you use and the records that you keep depending on the food product and the facility. Case in point is mixer bowls…60 qt may fit 50% but barely and an 80 qt will not. So wash, rinse, spray sanitize per requirements and you are good to go. Just have a written proceedure for your employees to follow and make sure you train the new ones and review with everyone on a regular basis. With all the food born illnesses and other kitchen contaminations that happen… every operator of food storage and production has to have GOOD processes in place and GOOD communication with their employees as to what is expected and required from them at ALL times. This can actually be a life or death issue with some of the more severe viruses that are out there these days. So keep it clean everyone! :twisted:
ours is 50 percent as well