Final answer:
In food service, chemical solutions designed to reduce the number of pathogens on clean surfaces are called sanitizers. These are distinct from disinfectants, antibiotics, and preservatives, each having a different purpose in microbial control.
Step-by-step explanation:
Chemical solutions used in food service to reduce the number of pathogens on clean surfaces are called sanitizers. Sanitizers work by cleaning fomites to achieve levels safe for public health, generally by reducing the number of microbes rather than killing all of them as sterilants do. Disinfection typically inactivates most microbes on the surface of a fomite either with chemicals or heat, although not all microbes may be eliminated, leaving the disinfected item not fully sterile. The high temperatures used in commercial dishwashers in the food service industry serve as a method for sanitizing dishes, and this process is different from using antibiotics, which target infections inside the body, or preservatives, which extend the shelf life of foods by preventing spoilage and decay.