According to safety standards, when should food preparation surfaces be sanitized?

Sanitizing food preparation surfaces before starting food prep is essential for maintaining food safety and preventing cross-contamination. This practice ensures that any harmful pathogens or contaminants that might be present on the surfaces are eliminated prior to preparing food, reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses.

While sanitizing surfaces after every hour of use or when switching food types is important for ongoing safety, the initial sanitization before food preparation is a critical first step that establishes a clean foundation for food handling. Therefore, it is vital to adhere to this standard to promote a safe food environment right from the start of the food preparation process.

The other options suggest that sanitization can be deferred to specific conditions or not required at all, which overlooks the necessity of starting with clean surfaces to ensure food safety and compliance with health regulations.