Hygienically Clean for Food Processing: What It Means and Why It’s Different Than “Just Clean”

Food processing has almost no tolerance for “close enough.” Equipment is audited. Facilities are audited. And the smallest breakdown in the process can quickly become a serious problem.

That’s why when uniforms, towels, and textiles inside a food processing plant are part of your operation, the real question isn’t “Are they clean?”

It’s: Are they hygienically clean—verified, tested, and consistent?

As Colin Wetlaufer, CITY President, puts it plainly: “CITY is incredibly excited to announce that we have obtained the Hygienically Clean Food Safety certification for the third consecutive time through TRSA. This allows us to continue offering our food processing customers a third-party audited, hygienically clean product.”

What You’ll Find Below

1. Why “clean” isn’t a measurable standard
2. What Hygienically Clean Food Safety means
3. Why third-party verification matters in food plants
4. What to ask any uniform or laundry provider
5. How CITY Industrial approaches Hygienically Clean
6. FAQs

Key Takeaways

1. “Clean” is subjective. Hygienically clean is a verified outcome tied to defined standards and testing.
2. Food safety risk is real and measurable. The CDC estimates 48 million Americans get sick from foodborne illness each year, resulting in approximately 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths.
3. Textiles can carry microbes longer than many people realize. Research shows certain bacteria can survive on some fabrics for weeks, and laundering conditions matter.
4. Hygienically Clean Food Safety certification requires microbiological testing, including two consecutive successful test rounds tied to a published standard.

1. Why “Clean” Isn’t a Measurable Standard

Clean can mean many things:

1. Looks good
2. Smells good
3. No visible stains
4. “Good enough” based on habit

But food processing operates in a different world, one defined by documented processes, measurable outcomes, and repeatability. That’s exactly why the FDA’s FSMA preventive controls emphasize hazard analysis and risk-based preventive controls—not assumptions.

Even beyond food plants, regulators recognize that garments matter. FDA CGMP language explicitly addresses the use of suitable outer garments to protect against contamination.

If your textiles program can’t clearly explain—and prove—what “clean” means, it isn’t designed to meet modern food safety expectations.

2. What Hygienically Clean Food Safety Means

Hygienically Clean Food Safety is a third-party certification program under TRSA (Textile Rental Services Association) focused on verified disinfection outcomes for laundered textiles used in food-related environments.

In practical terms, the certification requires passing two consecutive rounds of microbiological testing on a routine basis, demonstrating that textiles meet the program’s standard for negligible levels of harmful bacteria.

That matters because it shifts the conversation from “Trust us, it’s clean,” to “Here’s how the process is verified.”

3. Why Third-Party Verification Matters in Food Plants

Food safety isn’t a marketing claim—it’s a risk management discipline. The CDC estimates that 48 million people in the U.S. become sick from foodborne illness each year. That reality is why food processing plants invest heavily in preventive controls, sanitation programs, internal audits, and supplier verification.

Third-party textile verification follows that same mindset: reduce variability, verify outcomes, and document performance.

Colin describes Hygienically Clean in food processing terms: “Hygienically clean is really all about food safety… there’s no room for errors… There’s… bacteriological testing… above and beyond our customers’ expectations…”

4. What to Ask Any Uniform or Laundry Provider

If you’re evaluating providers—or auditing your current one—these questions help distinguish a basic laundry vendor from a true food safety partner.

Process & separation

1. How do you prevent cross-contamination between soiled and clean areas?
2. What physical or procedural separation exists between “dirty” and “clean” zones?
3. What controls are in place after washing, during finishing, packing, and staging?

Testing & verification

1. Do you perform routine, outcome-based microbial testing (such as TRSA Hygienically Clean Food Safety)?
2. Can you provide documentation showing consistent compliance with the standard?

Consistency & corrective action

1. If an issue occurs, what is the documented corrective action process?
2. How do you prevent the same issue from happening again?
3. Do you understand plant expectations for turn-in frequency (daily, before each break, etc.)?
4. Do you have experience managing food processing uniform and towel programs?

5. How CITY Industrial Approaches Hygienically Clean for Food Processing

At CITY, we approach Hygienically Clean the same way our customers approach food safety: standardize, document, verify, repeat.

Colin explains the “why” behind certification: “We achieved the Hygienically Clean Food Safety certification through TRSA, so we can supply our customers with third-party certified hygienically clean goods. In food processing, you’re ensuring a specific level of quality and bacterial reduction. A strong quality management system means there are no workarounds in the process.”

This isn’t about “a piece of paper on the wall.” It’s about what the certification forces every good operation to do—make performance repeatable. That mindset shows up across CITY’s leadership. As Mark Ballo, CITY Director of Service, explains: “We should have pride in doing things the very best we can, the first time. If we can consistently perform above average, that’s where we want to be.”

If you are interested in speaking with a laundry provider that adheres to the highest food processing standards, please contact us.

In the meantime, check out these testimonials from our food processing customers. https://www.citycleanandsimple.com/testimonials/testimonials-food-processing/