Six commonly used dairy and food plant sanitizers were evaluated against Salmonella typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes. Of these six, two were acid anionic sanitizers, one contained a quaternary ammonium compound, one was based on active iodine, and two contained active chlorine. Of the last two, one contained hypochlorite and the other contained active chlorine in organic form. The chlorine-based sanitizers were effective at 100 ppm of available chlorine against both these organisms. The sanitizer containing iodine was effective at 12.5 and 25 ppm titratable iodine against L. monocytogenes and S. typhimurium, respectively. The acid anionic sanitizers were effective at 200 ppm of active agent against both the bacteria, and the quaternary ammonium-based sanitizer was effective at 100 and 200 ppm of active compound against L. monocytogenes and S. typhimurium, respectively. The sanitizer containing iodine at 12.5 and 25 ppm of titratable iodine showed activity equivalent to 50 and 200 ppm of available chlorine, respectively, against L. monocytogenes and 100 and 200 ppm of available chlorine, respectively, against S. typhimurium.