Sanitization can be accomplished by all of the following means except air drying.

✅ Direct Answer

In food safety and hygiene multiple‑choice questions, the standard correct answer is:

Sanitization can be accomplished by all of the following means except air drying.

Air drying is part of proper cleaning and post‑washing practice, but it does not count as an actual sanitizing step.

What “sanitization” really means

Sanitization is the process of reducing the number of microorganisms on a surface or object to a safe level, usually through heat or chemical agents.

Typical sanitizing methods include:

  • Using approved chemical sanitizers (like food‑grade sanitizers or diluted bleach at proper concentration).
  • Applying heat, such as high‑temperature water or steam in dishwashers or sanitizing sinks.
  • In specialized settings, using methods like radiation or other validated disinfection processes (more common in medical or lab environments).

All of these actively kill or inactivate microbes.

Why air drying is the exception

In the MCQ versions of this question, the choices typically look like: chemical, heat, hot water, and air drying.

  • Air drying does not add any extra killing action against microbes.
  • It is a safe drying method (better than towel‑drying, which can re‑contaminate surfaces), but it only lets moisture evaporate.
  • Since it does not itself reduce microorganisms to safe levels, it is not recognized as a sanitization method , which is why it is the correct “EXCEPT” choice.

So in exam or quiz context, if you see:

“Sanitization can be accomplished by all of the following means except:
– Chemical
– Heat
– Hot water
– Air drying”

The correct answer is air drying. ✅

Mini FAQ

Does air drying have any role in hygiene?
Yes. Letting dishes, utensils, or equipment air dry after being washed and sanitized is recommended because it avoids contamination from towels, but it is a post‑sanitization step , not sanitization itself.

Are washing with soap and water and sanitizing the same?
No. Washing with soap and water removes dirt, grease, and some microbes, while sanitizing (chemicals or heat) is a separate step that kills remaining microbes to safe levels.

Meta description (SEO):
Learn why the correct answer to “sanitization can be accomplished by all of the following means except” is air drying , with a clear explanation of true sanitizing methods and exam‑style reasoning.

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