April 7th marks World Health Day, a day in which the World Health Organization (WHO) highlights a priority area of public health to mark the anniversary of the WHO’s founding in 1948. This year, World Health Day focuses on food safety and asks you, “How safe is your food?” Yet, did you know that hand hygiene plays an important role in food safety from farm to fork?
Hand Hygiene on the Farm
Hand hygiene starts on the farm. Produce, such as strawberries, tree fruit, tomatoes and lettuce are picked by hand. This means that hand hygiene – handwashing with soap and water and using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer – is critical for food safety on the farm. Other produce items, such as celery and eggplant, are picked by hand then field packed, meaning it goes right from the field into the package to the grocery store. With this in mind, it is important to remember to always wash your produce at home.
Hand Hygiene at Home
Speaking of home; be sure to practice hand hygiene at key moments, which include during food preparation and handling as well as before and after eating. In addition nasty germs, such as E. coli (beef), Salmonella and Campylobacter (chicken), can be picked up from food. Hand hygiene can interrupt the spread of these pathogens in the kitchen.
Additionally, do not handle or prepare food for others when you are sick. It has been reported that more than 80% of illnesses can be transmitted by the hands1, which means a complete hand hygiene regimen needs to be put into place during food preparation.
Hand Hygiene While Eating Out
According to Nations Restaurant News, nearly 90% of restaurant patrons feel that dirty hands play a major role in the cause of foodborne illness.2 One outbreak could cost a restaurant millions in litigation and negatively affect their reputation. Guests also like restaurants to provide PURELL® Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer for their use. In fact, 82% of restaurant patrons believe the restaurant cares about their well-being when the hand sanitizer is present.3 Be sure to practice good hand hygiene when eating out. Key moments include before and after eating as well as after touching the restaurant menu.
Food safety is an issue that impacts us all, but by having good hand hygiene practices in place, we can make sure we have #safefood.