After manually cleaning and sanitizing utensils, what should be the next step?

The next step after manually cleaning and sanitizing utensils is to let them air dry. Air drying allows the utensils to dry naturally without the risk of recontamination that can occur when using towels or other materials, which may harbor bacteria. The air-drying process ensures that any remaining moisture evaporates completely, which is important because moisture can cause microbial growth if left stagnant on utensils.

Air drying also helps maintain the effectiveness of the sanitizing solution that was used; if towels are used for drying, they may introduce new contaminants to the sanitized surfaces. Therefore, allowing utensils to air dry is considered a best practice in food safety and sanitation protocols.