Final answer:
Sanitization is defined by the New York Department of State rules as the process of cleaning to make an object safe for use, involving the removal of enough microbes to reach safe public health levels but not necessarily all of them, unlike sterilization. Option B is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
The New York Department of State rules and regulation define sanitization as the process of making an object clean and safe for use. Sanitization is a cleansing process where enough microbes are removed to achieve levels considered safe for public health. Examples include the use of very hot water in commercial dishwashers and the application of chemical disinfectants for surfaces in hospital rooms.
The term differs from disinfection, which involves inactivating most microbes on a fomite's surface, and sterilization, which refers to the complete elimination of all vegetative cells, endospores, and viruses. An item that has undergone disinfection may not be sterile, as some microbes can still survive even after treatment, while sterilization ensures that no living organisms remain.