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Good hand hygiene equals good food safety

18 February 2024

Hand hygiene is key to reducing the risk of cross-contamination in every step of the food chain –from production to plate. Cross-contamination and skin dermatitis outbreaks among workers can disrupt production and ultimately, cause serious illness.

According to figures published in 2017 by The World Health Organization, every year in Europe, more than 23 million people fall ill from eating contaminated food, resulting in 5000 deaths. 

It is therefore important that hygiene and food safety leads in food production operations are familiar with pathogens that may cause harm if a proper hand hygiene protocol is not followed. The following are some of the main causes of concern for the food industry:

Campylobacter: Campylobacteriosis is transmitted mainly by ingestion of undercooked contaminated food, such as poultry and sometimes pork. In addition, cross-contamination by handling and washing contaminated food can lead to the spread of campylobacter onto hands, work surfaces, clothing and cooking equipment. 

Listeria monocytogenes: Listeriosis is a rare but serious notifiable disease transmitted to humans through food. 

Salmonella enterica: Salmonellosis is a disease caused by Salmonella bacteria. Salmonella is present in the intestines of animals and can contaminate the environment via their faeces. Salmonella is resistant to cold but can be killed by heat. Raw food is the most frequently contaminated; meat (especially poultry), eggs, and raw or undercooked egg preparations. 

Escherichia Coli (E.coli): A family of bacteria, some of which are naturally present in the human gut without causing harm, while others can cause serious food-borne illnesses. These infections, while usually not serious, can sometimes develop into haemolytic uraemic syndrome, which is rare but dangerous for children. 

Reducing cross-contamination risk
In order to encourage hand hygiene best practice, a proper hand hygiene infrastructure must be in place. This should include protective creams, biocidal hand wash, sanitisers and moisturising creams developed specifically for the food industry to help promote good skin health before, during and after working hours. 

However, providing effective, high-quality products is not enough. According to cleaning and hygiene solutions provider, SC Johnson Professional, operatives working in the food production sector will be more inclined to use the products if they are pleasant and if they have had proper hand hygiene training. 

Best practice
Following best practice to help promote good skin health and hand hygiene is one of the keys to successful hygiene compliance. Best practice should include educating workers about the range of products, as well as why and when they should be used.

Protection creams can make it quicker and easier to clean skin with milder hand cleaners. They help the skin retain natural lipids and moisture; help improve comfort when wearing gloves; help improve grip when using hand-held equipment and protect skin against exposure to workplace substances and environmental conditions. 

Proper hand cleaning, using the appropriate product, will help remove germs and prevent physical contaminants from becoming ingrained in the skin. Using hand cleaners that are too heavy for what is required can be harsh on the skin and using hand cleaners that are too light for what is required can lead to over-scrubbing and not fully cleaning the skin.

Hand sanitisers should be used when hands are physically clean but need to be hygienically clean. They can be used without water at the point of use and help keep the skin in good condition, even with frequent use. Sanitisers can also provide broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against many common germs.

Finally, restore creams can be offered to support the skin’s natural barrier, making the skin feel smooth and supple and helping to maintain its condition, keeping it strong and healthy and avoiding dryness.



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