During which step of the warewashing process is food residue removed?

In the warewashing process, food residue removal occurs during the scraping step. This initial action is crucial because it involves physically taking off large food particles and debris from dishes, utensils, pots, and pans before they are subject to the washing phase. The objective is to prepare the items for more thorough cleaning by ensuring that loose food items do not interfere with the detergent's effectiveness during washing.

By removing the bulk of food residue beforehand, it also helps prevent clogs in the warewashing machinery and supports proper sanitation standards. Each subsequent step—washing, rinsing, and sanitizing—focuses on cleaning and disinfecting the surface, but the scraping step specifically addresses the need to eliminate solid residues right away.