Establishments must routinely evaluate their SSOPs. This is called:

• A. Maintenance
• B. Implementation
• C. Development
• D. Monitoring

Answer: (A)

Maintenance is the process of keeping the sanitation procedures up to date and effective over time. Once SSOPs are written, conditions in a facility can change—new equipment, updated cleaning chemicals, process changes, or regulatory updates—so they must be reviewed and revised regularly. This routine upkeep ensures the procedures continue to reflect current practices and remain enforceable, accurate, and effective.

Implementation refers to putting SSOPs into use for the first time, development is about creating them, and monitoring is about checking that the procedures are followed and functioning during daily operations. While monitoring is important, the specific act of regularly reviewing and updating the SSOPs aligns with maintenance.