The Importance of Hand Hygiene in Food Processing Environments

Throughout the food industry, it is commonly said that hand hygiene is the first line of defense in reducing the risk of cross-contamination from workers’ hands. Research suggests that the human hand can harbor over 150 bacteria at one time, underlining the importance of proper hand hygiene. Additionally, it is estimated that 40% of all foodborne illness outbreaks in the United States are a direct result of hand cross-contamination, galvanizing processors to educate workers on the importance of proper hand hygiene in training programs. Our goal at Best Sanitizers, Inc. is to reduce cross-contamination by improving hand hygiene initiatives and providing expert training programs to all employees in food processing facilities.

The Gold Standard

Globally, handwashing with water and soap is widely accepted as the gold standard method to remove soil and transient microorganisms from hands. In the U.S., the FDA Food Code sets handwashing standards and guidelines in food processing facilities. Moreover, various agencies and third-party groups, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), NSF International and the Global Food Safety Initiative, have also composed best practices for handwashing in food operations.

In short, effective handwashing involves scrubbing (with a soap or cleaning agent), rinsing (using suitable water temperatures) and complete drying (via clean towels or air) to minimize the likelihood of microbial cross-contamination. After handwashing, prevailing industry standards and guidelines recommend using chemical hand sanitizers to further reduce the presence of bacteria on hands. By reducing the colony forming units (CFUs) on the hands, it is more difficult for bacteria to transfer on to surfaces, utensils, ingredients, and finished food products from contaminated hands.

Killer Sanitizers

Chemical hand sanitizers, which are registered through the FDA and NSF International for use in food processing facilities, fall into two categories: alcohol-based and alcohol-free, which are available in various forms, including sprays, liquids, gels and foam.

Alcohol-based sanitizers destroy transient microorganisms on the surface of hands. After use, regrowth of microbes on the skin tends to occur slowly, effectively keeping “residual” microflora that reside in deeper layers of skin from coming to the surface. More recently, chemical manufacturers have created hand sanitizers in the form of a spray, which provides some additional benefits not found in more traditional hand sanitizers, such as gels. A hand sanitizer spray is delivered as an atomized mist which saturates the fingernails, cuticles, creases and crevices of the hands and fingers where pathogens commonly hide. Unlike the viscous properties of a gel, hand sanitizer spray goes on light and covers the entire surfaces of the hands.

Solutions for Every Facility

We recommend using quality hand soaps like Alpet^® Q E2 Sanitizing Foam Soap or Alpet^® E1 Fragrance Free Soap to reduce pathogens. Alpet^® Q E2 is pH balanced and formulated with emollients to help keep hands soft and healthy, even with repeated use. Alpet^® E1 is a fragrance-free, foaming hand soap that meets Safer Choice Standards, meaning the product’s formula contains ingredients with more positive human health and environmental characteristics than conventional products of the same type. Additionally, Best Sanitizers, Inc. recommends using an effective hand sanitizer, such as Alpet^® E3 Plus Hand Sanitizer Spray. The 71% Ethanol formula is 99.9999% effective in killing 26 tested pathogens in 15 seconds, which is one of the highest LOG reductions in the industry. Alpet^® E3 Plus is also formulated with emollients to keep hands soft and healthy. As a spray, it goes on light and leaves hands feeling silky, not heavy and sticky.

Best Sanitizers, Inc. can help improve your hand hygiene program with products, solutions and expert training. We offer food manufacturers free hand hygiene training, guidance and support through onsite training or web-based presentations. Contact us at 888-225-3267 or sales@bestsanitizers.com.