Understanding Sanitization: Types and Applications

Sanitization is the process of removing or reducing the amount of harmful substances in a product, such as bacteria, viruses, or other microorganisms. Sanitization is often used in food processing, agriculture, and healthcare to ensure the safety of products and prevent the spread of disease.

There are different types of sanitization, including:

1. Physical sanitization: This involves removing or killing harmful substances through physical means, such as heat, radiation, or chemicals.
2. Chemical sanitization: This involves using chemicals to kill or remove harmful substances.
3. Biological sanitization: This involves using living organisms, such as bacteriophages, to kill or remove harmful substances.
4. Ultraviolet (UV) sanitization: This involves using UV light to kill or inactivate harmful substances.

Sanitization is different from sterilization, which is the complete elimination of all microorganisms, including spores. Sanitization is a less intense process that is used to reduce the number of microorganisms on a surface or in a product, but may not completely eliminate all harmful substances.