A food worker with several dirty plates should do what first as she loads the dishwasher?

• A. Soak plates for five minutes
• B. Rinse with cold water only
• C. Scrape or rinse large food particles off the plates
• D. Load plates into the dishwasher without rinsing

Answer: (C)

Removing large food particles before loading is essential because it prevents debris from clogging the dishwasher’s filters and spray arms, and reduces the amount of soil the machine must remove. Scraping or rinsing off the big bits lets the dishwasher work more effectively and helps ensure plates come out clean and sanitary.

Soaking plates for five minutes wastes time and can create a reservoir for bacteria. Rinsing with cold water only often doesn’t remove fats or stuck-on residue well, and it doesn’t address clogging concerns. Loading dishes without rinsing leaves loose food that can clog the machine and spread soil during washing.