Equipment and Utensils

Equipment and utensils are the machines, tools, containers and surfaces used to prepare, hold or serve food. Food safety rules require them to be made of safe materials, designed for cleaning and kept in good repair.

  • Food safety
  • Facility & equipment design

In FDA's food rules, equipment covers everything from mixers and freezers to tanks and conveying systems, while the FDA Food Code defines utensils as food-contact implements or containers used to store, prepare, transport, dispense, sell or serve food, including gloves and temperature probes that touch food. Under 21 CFR 117.40, equipment must be designed, built and installed so it can be cleaned and maintained; food-contact surfaces must be corrosion resistant, nontoxic and able to withstand cleaning chemicals; seams must be smoothly bonded; and instruments that measure or control temperature, pH or water activity must be accurate and well maintained.

Worn, cracked or poorly designed tools trap residue that cleaning cannot reach, and broken or corroded parts can shed metal fragments or other foreign material into food. A cooler that cannot hold temperature, or a thermometer that reads wrong, can let bacteria grow unnoticed. That is why FDA requires food-contact surfaces to be maintained so they do not cause contamination or allergen cross-contact, requires cold storage to have an accurate thermometer or recorder, and calls for disassembling equipment as needed for thorough cleaning.

Key facts

U.S. cGMP section
21 CFR 117.40, Equipment and utensils
Smooth food-contact surface (Food Code)
As cleanable as No. 3 (100-grit) stainless steel
Fixed equipment clearance (Food Code, cited by FSIS)
At least 6 in (15 cm) above floor, or sealed
Cleaning frequency (Food Code, cited by FSIS)
Every 4 hours in continuous use with potentially hazardous food

In a bakery or commercial kitchen

  • Buy commercial equipment listed to an NSF/ANSI standard, such as NSF/ANSI 2 for tables and bakery units or NSF/ANSI 8 for mixers
  • Store clean pans, racks and utensils at least 6 inches off the floor, protected from splash and dust
  • Clean food-contact surfaces at least every 4 hours when in continuous use with perishable fillings such as custards or cream
  • Check thermometers and oven, proofer and cooler controls for accuracy on a set schedule
  • Retire cutting boards, scrapers and spatulas with deep cuts, pits, cracks or chips that hold residue

For home and cottage bakers

  • Use a food thermometer and check its accuracy now and then; a wrong reading gives false confidence
  • Wash, rinse and air-dry tools, and avoid wiping clean surfaces with a used sponge
  • Replace bakeware with flaking coatings, rust or open seams that can no longer be cleaned smooth

Related entries

Sources

Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 17, 2026.

  1. 21 CFR Part 117, Subpart B: Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), National Archives
  2. FDA Food Code 2022, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  3. Sanitation Performance Standards Compliance Guide, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
  4. NSF Food Equipment Standards, NSF