Once food production operations are finished, a sanitation crew will remove all visible dirt, grime, and grease. This step is also called ______________.

The process of removing all visible dirt, grime, and grease from food production operations is referred to as cleaning. Cleaning is a necessary step in maintaining hygiene and food safety, as it prepares surfaces and equipment for further sanitation processes. Effective cleaning involves using appropriate detergents or cleaning agents to break down and eliminate contaminants, ensuring that all surfaces are visibly clean before any sanitizing can take place.

Sanitizing, on the other hand, refers to the step that follows cleaning, where chemical agents or heat are used to reduce the number of pathogens on surfaces to safe levels. Rinsing is simply washing away cleaning solutions or food residues, usually with water, but does not imply the removal of all forms of contaminants. Disassembly refers to taking apart equipment or structures and is not inherently related to the cleanliness of surfaces.

Thus, the focus here is strictly on the act of physically cleaning the surfaces, which underscores the importance of this foundational step in food safety practices.