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Hand hygiene: making the right choices

22 October 2021

Chris Wakefield discusses how to sort the wheat from the chaff when it comes to choosing effective hand hygiene solutions for use in food processing environments. 

The food manufacturing sector has a long history of hygiene development and safe handling protocols. After all, to minimise microbial survival and growth, or infection of any kind, it is necessary to implement precautions.

As well as following a regular and thorough cleaning schedule, having sufficient opportunities for handwashing is critical, because, even if just one employee does not perform proper hand hygiene, cross contamination can occur, which can lead to contaminated products. 

Hand hygiene plays a critical role in keeping food products safe and today, there are hundreds of different solutions to choose from. In fact, there has never been more choice available!  The pandemic created a huge surge in demand, which in turn, saw a flurry of new products entering the market – some from companies with no experience of producing these kinds of products.


This can make product selection problematic  – how can you know which are the right products to purchase? The risks of making the wrong decision are high – not all are fit for purpose, match their claims in terms efficacy, or are suitable for food processing environments. Indeed, over the past year, we have seen several products pulled from European markets, due to compliance and safety issues. 

Choice overload
To avoid becoming overwhelmed by the array of products available, there are certain criteria that potential buyers should look for to help them make an informed decision.

Firstly, look for a trusted supplier, such as those accredited by the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association (CHSA), which gives assurance that products meet a required quality standard.

Scrutinise a product’s antimicrobial efficacy. Don’t just read the claims, ensure you select a solution that has been independently tested and that meets key standards, such as EN 14476 and EN 12791. For food processing environments, solutions should also have passed the international food taint testing standard EN4120:2007, which provides assurance that they are safe for use in food handling.

Contact times can also be a key differentiator. Most people do not spend very long washing or sanitising their hands, so selecting products that reach their stated efficacy levels quickly is vital. 

The mode of refill is also important to prevent contamination. My advice is to opt for factory-sealed refills – smart, safe, and sustainable, they simply snap into place on site. Since they are sealed at the point of manufacture, the product inside is not subject to evaporation issues or contamination. 

Finally, the right systems not only ‘do the job’ in terms of killing pathogens, but can also help build compliance, which is integral for success. For maximum adherence, soaps and hand sanitisers must offer a positive user experience. 

If the balance of ingredients is not right, skin can quickly become dry or irritated. We know, from experience, that those with cracked, dry skin are much less likely to perform regular hand hygiene, due to a fear of making the problem worse, or pain when doing so. This can result in germs being spread around a facility at an increased rate, risking food safety. 

It is therefore important that the hand hygiene products selected are enriched with moisturising agents to prevent skin from becoming dry or irritated, but not be too runny, sticky, or smelly. 

By taking all of these areas into consideration, food processing businesses can be confident that they are selecting the best product for their facility. It can be a complicated balancing act, but a quality hand and surface hygiene partner should be able to supply formulations that meet these exacting standards.

Chris Wakefield is managing director UK & Ireland at GOJO Industries-Europe Ltd.  


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