New Study Highlights Hand Hygiene Practices on the Farm – A Strong First Step in Food Safety

When there is a foodborne illness outbreak the first question that is often asked is, “What was the source of the outbreak?” Maybe it was because of improper food handling or maybe a restaurant worker was ill, or maybe it was from the produce that was used.

Today, we hear more and more about foodborne illness outbreaks that are associated with the produce we eat. In fact, from 1999 to 2008, contaminated produce was responsible for at least 23 percent of all foodborne illnesses reported in the United States.[1] And while the contamination of the produce might occur during different points in the handling process, some of these outbreaks have been thought to be caused by infected farmworkers, and possibly, inadequate hand hygiene.[2]

Effective hand hygiene is essential to prevent the spread of pathogens on produce farms and reduce the risk of foodborne illness. Currently, the United States Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Food Modernization Act Produce Rule indicates that handwashing with soap and water is the only effective hand hygiene intervention for farmworkers. However, a new study published in The Journal of Food Protection,[3] demonstrates that an alcohol-based hand sanitizer may be a viable option when soap and water is not readily available.

This study led by researchers at The Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University and collaborators from the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León and GOJO revealed that both soap and alcohol-based hand sanitizers (ABHS) were efficacious hand hygiene solutions at reducing concentrations of bacteria on farmworkers’ hands. In the case of ABHS, these products reduced up to 99.5 percent of indicator bacteria on produce handler hands, even when hands are heavily soiled with dirt and organic load from crop handling.

According to Juan S. Leon, PhD, associate professor in the Hubert Department of Global Health at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health and lead on this study, “Without any intervention, farmworkers’ hands were heavily soiled and contaminated with high concentrations of bacteria after hours of harvesting. Based on our results, both soap and alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be viewed as good hand hygiene solutions for the fresh produce industry.”

This study brings to light how important proper hand hygiene is throughout the entire farm to fork process since hand hygiene is one of the most important measures we can all take to reduce the spread of germs that can cause illness.  

To learn more, you can find the complete study findings in the Nov. 11, 2015, edition of The Journal of Food Protection.

[1] Smith DeWaal, C., C. Roberts, and C. Catella. 2012. Outbreak alert! 1999-2008. Center for Science in the Public Interest, Washington, DC.
[2] Wheler, C., T. M. Vogt, G. L. Armstrong, G. Vaughan, A. Weltman, O. V. Nainan, V. Dato, G. L. Xia, K. Waller, J. Amon, T. M. Lee, A. Highbaugh-Battle, C. Hembree, S. Evenson, M. A. Ruta, I. T. Williams, A. E. Fiore, and B. P. Bell. 2005. An outbreak of hepatitis A associated with green onions. N. Engl. J. Med. 353:890–897; Falkenhorst, G., L. Krusell, M. Lisby, S. B. Madsen, B. Bottiger, and K. Molbak. 2005. Imported frozen raspberries cause a series of norovirus outbreaks in Denmark, 2005. Euro Surveill. 10:E050922.2.
[3] DeAceituno, A; Bartz, F; Hodge, D.; Shumaker, D.; Grubb, J; Arbogast, J; Davila-Avina, J.; Fabiola, V.; Heredia, N.; Garcia, S.; Leon, J. Ability of Hand Hygiene Interventions Using Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizers and Soap to Reduce Microbial Load on Farmworker Hands Soiled During Harvest. Journal of Food Protection, Vol.78, No. 11, 2015.

Food Safety is Non-Negotiable

A non-negotiable is defined as something that is not allowed to be changed or that is open to negotiation. In the food service industry, food safety programs evolve and change but having a sound program in place is non-negotiable. There is no compromise.

As a restaurant owner or operator your commitment to food safety sets the foundation for your restaurant’s culture and demonstrates to your employees, as well as your guests, that food safety is a priority. This makes it vital for restaurant owners and operators to dedicate the time that is required to build and maintain a strong culture that promotes food safety, including the development of an active food safety program.

According to the National Restaurant Association, studies have shown that food safety training programs can lead to a substantial reduction in the likelihood of a foodborne-illness outbreak.  For example, an employee who is properly trained in food safety is less likely to engage in harmful activities, such as not practicing good hand hygiene at key moments. In addition, employees become advocates for food safety protocols – ensuring that proper measures including hand hygiene and food safety are in place and being practiced. 

A food safety training program impacts the overall health of your restaurant – your employees, guests and ultimately your bottom line. A comprehensive program, which includes initial and recurrent training, is a must. ServSafe is a program many in the food service industry utilize.

It is critical to the success of your restaurant to dedicate the time, energy and resources to developing a solid food safety training program designed for your operation. 

Building a Culture of Cleanliness

According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Americans are twice as likely to get food poisoning from food prepared at a restaurant than food prepared at home.  With this in mind, it is critical for restaurant owners and operators to ensure they are doing everything they can to demonstrate to their guests food safety is a priority. And one way to do this is by promoting a culture of cleanliness.

A culture of cleanliness is one that is embraced by the entire organization – from corporate down to the unit level. It is a culture where food safety is a priority and not simply something “on which we should be focusing.” It’s a culture where an investment has been made in food safety – ensuring the proper protocols are in place, committing to continued education on food safety and investing the time and money to ensure that processes and protocols are being executed properly. 

Food safety is non-negotiable, so promoting a culture of cleanliness is critical to the health of your guests, employees and the restaurant itself. Ways to incorporate this culture into your operations include:

1. Ongoing training about food safety and foodborne illnesses
2. Handwashing posters placed throughout the back of the house to remind employees to wash their hands at key moments throughout the work day
3. Developing systems to make sure foods are handled and stored properly
4. Making an alcohol-based hand sanitizer available for both guests and employees
5. Use of proper cleaners that both sanitize and clean surfaces

What are some ways you build a culture of cleanliness?

Food Safety Starts with Being Prepared

When a foodborne illness outbreak happens, many restaurant owners and operators might ask themselves “what can I do so this doesn’t happen at my restaurant?” And while they may receive a variety of answers, or even be assured by some that something like this could never happen to them, there is only one answer to that question, and it is quite simple. Be prepared.

In the spirit of college basketball’s March Madness, your best defense against foodborne illness is a strong offense. For the food service industry, your best defense against a possible foodborne illness outbreak is taking a proactive approach and having a proper food safety program in place for your restaurant to help reduce your risk. It also means taking the time now to evaluate your current program and take a closer look at how you could enhance it, especially when you consider that, according to a recent survey, 74% of restaurant guests think fast food restaurants should monitor food safety more closely. 

First and foremost, for any food safety program to be successful, the employees need to understand why food safety procedures are important. This means a focus on education and openly discussing the importance of food safety practices and addressing any concerns is a must.  

The training needs to be engaging, and it is important to find new ways to introduce the basic concepts of food safety. For example, maybe it is time to refresh a hand hygiene video or make more of the training interactive. But what should you be teaching workers? The following are some key elements to have in place in your Food Safety Program:

• Have workers not come in while ill;
• Wash hands at key moments;
• Provide an alcohol-based hand sanitizer for guests to use when they enter the restaurant;
• Keep restrooms visibly and hygienically clean;
• Ensure that cold foods are kept below 41 degrees Fahrenheit and hot foods are kept at temperatures above 135 degrees Fahrenheit;
• Follow proper cooking instructions, for example make sure food is cooked to its recommended and safe internal temperature; and
• Implement processes to avoid cross contamination.

What other components have you included in your food safety program?

The State of Food Safety in the Food Service Industry – Where Do We Go From Here?

Food safety and reducing the risk of foodborne illness is top of mind for many of us. As consumers, we assume we will not become ill when dining out with our family and friends at a restaurant. As restaurant owners, operators or managers, we believe our restaurant could never fall victim to an outbreak, and as restaurant employees, we are confident we follow safe food handling practices.

While we all believe we are taking the necessary steps to prevent the spread of foodborne illness, one striking fact remains - foodborne illness still occurs way too often! In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that contaminated food caused 47.8 million illnesses a year in the United States.[1] The CDC also reported that of these foodborne illness outbreaks, 60% of them happen in restaurants.[2] And according to the National Restaurant Association, a foodborne illness outbreak can be costly. One outbreak can cause an increase in negative media exposure, lawsuits and legal fees, insurance premiums, plus staff missing work and the possibility of having to retrain them.[3] In addition, your sales, reputation and staff morale all go down.[4]

Now, more than ever, is the time for all food service establishments to re-evaluate their current food safety practices to ensure they are doing enough to mitigate the risk of foodborne illness, which can impact not only a restaurant’s bottom line, but reputation as well.

With this in mind, GOJO scientists developed a bulletin that takes a closer look at food safety in the food service industry. It examines the current state of the industry, the most common foodborne illnesses and the components of a strong food safety program, which includes good hand hygiene practices.

You can download the complete bulletin here >

[1] National Restaurant Association. A high price to pay: Costs of foodborne illness. Retrieved March 22, 2016, from http://www.restaurant.org/Manage-My-Restaurant/Food-Nutrition/Food-Safety/A-high-price-to-pay-Costs-of-foodborne-illness
[2] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. New CDC Data on Foodborne Disease Outbreaks; Highlights of 2013 Surveillance Report. Retrieved March 22, 2016, from http://www.cdc.gov/features/foodborne-diseases-data/
[3] National Restaurant Association. A high price to pay: Costs of foodborne illness. Retrieved March 22, 2016, from http://www.restaurant.org/Manage-My-Restaurant/Food-Nutrition/Food-Safety/A-high-price-to-pay-Costs-of-foodborne-illness
[4] National Restaurant Association. A high price to pay: Costs of foodborne illness. Retrieved March 22, 2016, from http://www.restaurant.org/Manage-My-Restaurant/Food-Nutrition/Food-Safety/A-high-price-to-pay-Costs-of-foodborne-illness

Welcome to FoodSafeTruth.com

Foodborne illnesses are making news. Whether it is a norovirus outbreak at a national fast food chain or a listeria outbreak that impacts an ice cream manufacturer, as restaurant owners and operators, you want to be assured you are delivering a safe experience for your guests. And food safety is critical to the overall guest experience.

FoodSafeTruth.com is designed to help you further enhance your food safety program. This website separates fact from fiction, and provides you with timely information on:

• Foodborne illness outbreaks;
• Foodborne illnesses that commonly plague the food service industry, including E. coli, Salmonella, Norovirus and Listeria;
• Scientific studies focused on food safety best practices; and
• Tips on how you build a more robust food safety program.

FoodSafeTruth.com is your go-to source for information on food safety in the food service industry.