a. Using Hot Water for Disinfecting.
(1) Scrape utensils to remove food particles.
(2) Wash in warm water containing soap or other detergent.
(3) Rinse in clear, hot, potable water.
(4) Give a final disinfecting rinse in clear hot (180o F) potable water for one
minute or rinse with boiling water.
(NOTE: If the items are being rinsed with hot water and a thermometer is available,
check the temperature of the water.)
(5) Dry utensils in the open air and protect against dust, splash, and other
b. Using Disinfecting Solution.
(1) Scrape utensils free of food particles.
(2) Wash the utensils in the hottest water available containing soap or
detergent.
(3) Rinse in the hottest clear potable water available.
(4) Rinse in a disinfecting solution prepared by adding one package of food
service disinfectant to 25 gallons of water according to the instructions on the package.
When food service disinfectant is not available, immerse for at least one minute in a
sanitizing solution containing at least 50 ppm chlorine residual (see figure 3-2) at a
temperature of not less than 80o F. Fresh solution must be made for rinsing and
sanitizing utensils for each 100 persons.
(5) Rinse again in another separate disinfecting solution prepared in the
same manner as the solution described in paragraph (4) above.
(6) Dry in the open air and protect against dust and other contamination.
3-14. CLEANING INDIVIDUAL MESS KITS
a. Mess Kit Laundry Setup. In the field, each individual normally eats from his
own mess kit. Proper washing is important; otherwise, food particles will remain and
become breeding places for disease organisms. Three galvanized (GI) 32-gallon cans
or other similar containers placed in a row are used to clean mess kits (figure 3-3).
Enough water is placed in each can to allow at least one quart of water per man. Large
units may require several washing lines. The first can contains hot (150F) soapy
MD0535
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