Transcript No Slide Title

Minimizing Contamination of
Food by Employees:
Personal Hygiene Strategies
Catherine Cutter, Ph.D.
Department of Food Science
Penn State University
©2006 Department of Food Science - College of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State University
Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce.
This publication is available in alternative media on request.
Contamination from Employees
Employees can:
1. Harbor disease in body

with or without symptoms
2. Carry disease on body or personal
items
3. Become contaminated in the work
environment
Food Handlers Carrying Disease
Organisms with or without Symptoms
From respiratory
tract through
coughing and sneezing
From open sores,
cuts, or boils
Food
prepared
Food eaten
Illness
occurs
From intestinal tract
through hands soiled
with feces
Key Prevention Strategies

Employee Health – exclusion or
restriction


Education & awareness
Personal cleanliness & hygiene


Availability of handwashing, hand
sanitizing, and toilet facilities
Education & training
Employee Health

2005 Food Code require reporting,
exclusion and/or restriction of employees
exhibiting:





Vomiting,
Diarrhea,
Jaundice,
Sore throat with fever, or
A exposed lesion containing pus such as a boil or
wound
Employee Health

Listeriosis symptoms include:






Nausea*
Vomiting*
Headache
Fever*
Chills
Backache
*Reportable symptoms
Education & Awareness

Employees should:



Understand consequences of working
when ill
Be aware of symptoms that may be
associated with foodborne illness
Feel empowered to report illness
Management & Illness

Management should understand


Employee illness can cause foodborne
outbreaks = hurt business
Employees may be reluctant to report
illness



Lost wages
Demerits – “We’re too busy for you not to work”
Have a system in place to deal with
employee illness
Employee Hygiene



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Hand hygiene
Personal cleanliness
Uniforms or dress
codes
Avoiding unsanitary
actions
Hand Hygiene
 A 1993 study found that 7% of
food workers carried LM on
their hands
Hand Hygiene
Key Controls
 Proper hand washing
 No bare hand contact
w/ RTE food
 Proper hand
maintenance
Handwashing

Factors influencing effectiveness




Friction to physically dislodge bacteria
Water which washes bacteria from the
surface and down the drain
Soap or detergent to loosen the
bacteria
Temperature – hot water is more
effective than cool water
Most Frequently Missed Areas
During Handwashing
Handwashing

2005 Food Code



Clean hands & exposed portions of arms
Clean for at least 20 seconds
Use a handwashing sink or approved
automatic handwashing facility

NOT in food preparation sinks or
warewashing sinks
Handwashing Protocol
1. Rinse under clean running warm
water
2. Apply recommended amount of
cleaning compound (soap or
detergent)
3. Rub hands together vigorously for
at least 10 to 15 seconds
4. Thoroughly rinse with warm water
5. Dry hands
Handwashing

While rubbing hands together



Ensure soil is removed from underneath
fingernails
Create sufficient friction
Ensure finger tips and areas between
fingers are rubbed
Clean hands for at least 20
seconds
Handwashing

When drying use one of the following
methods

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Individual disposable towels
Continuous towels systems supplying user
a clean towel
A heated air hand dryer
Hot air dryers

Benefits:



http://www.rcenterprises.net/HAND%2
0DRIER.htm
Effective when operating properly and
cycle is sufficiently long
Less waste
Drawbacks:


Users may only partially dry and then
wipe hands on clothes
Wet hands more easily picks up
microorganisms from environment
Paper towels

Benefits:



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Considered most sterile of methods
Friction during drying further reduces
transient microorganisms from hands
Can be used as barrier when turning off
water and exiting door
Drawbacks:


Dispensers with cranks, buttons, or
levers not recommended
Monitoring of waste required
Handwashing

To avoid recontamination:

Use a paper towel or similar clean
barrier when touching surfaces


Manual faucets
Handles on restroom doors
When to wash your hands:
When beginning a shift.
After handling raw ingredients
After using the rest room.
After eating, drinking or using tobacco.
After using a handkerchief or tissue.
After touching your hand or face.
After touching any soiled surface or utensil.
After wiping your hands on your clothes.
When changing gloves.
Hand Sanitizers
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Alcohol gel
wipes
Wall dispensers
Hand Sanitizers
• Optional
• Must be approved by the FDA
• Must be maintained clean and at an
appropriate strength
Handwashing Facilities
1.
2.
3.
4.
Soap dispenser
Paper towels
Hot water
Sink working
properly
5. Trash removed
6. General cleanliness
Food Establishment Plan Review Guide - FDA, 2000
Handwashing Facilities



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Sufficient number
Accessible
Adequately supplied
Maintained in sanitary condition
Good repair
Bare Hands Contact

Prohibited for RTE foods

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Prevents transfer of skin bacteria to
food if properly used
Use

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Gloves
Utensils

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tongs,
single use deli papers
Gloves
• Considerations
•May find their way into food product
•Moist and warm conditions inside glove
promotes rapid bacterial growth which
may escape if torn
•May promote complacency about
adhering to good hygienic habits
Proper use of gloves…
 Wear gloves that are correctly sized.
 Use gloves only for their designated use.
 Remove gloves whenever leaving a workstation
or walk-in refrigerator.
 Change gloves between handling an unclean
surface or raw ingredients
 Change gloves whenever contaminated
 Remember gloves are not a substitute for
washing hands.
Hand maintenance

Fingernails



Short
Filed
Cuts or lesions

Should be appropriately bandaged and covered
with a finger cot
Personal Cleanliness

Employees should practice good
hygiene before coming to work

Regular bathing
Dress Code
 Wear clean outer garments when
handling food
 Enough aprons so they can be
changed if soiled
 Wear clean, closed toed shoes
 No jewelry
 Hair restraint
Jewelry
•Prohibited while handling food
•Can fall into food
•Can contaminate food
Watches
Earrings
Rings
Bracelets
Hair Restraints
Employees (and visitors) should wear
hairnets, caps, beard covers, or other
effective hair restraints in food handling
areas
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Personal items such as pens, pencils,
smoking materials, or thermometers
should not be carried in shirt pockets
when employees are food handling areas.
Storing clothes and personal
belongings away from food
production areas……….
Clothing or other
personal belongings
should be stored in
areas other than
where food is
handled
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Unsanitary Actions
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Eating, drinking, chewing gum, or
using tobacco in food preparation
areas
Touching hair, face, or body
Using apron as a napkin
Sneezing or coughing over food
Demonstration
Hands
Unwashed hand
Rinsed hand
Washed 20 sec using Washed 20 sec and
soap and water
then sanitized
Gloves
Unwashed
glove
Rinsed glove
Washed 20 sec using Washed 20 sec and
then sanitized
soap and water
Hair
Apron
Pests
Personal Jewelry
Rings removed after 20
second wash treatment
Ring removed after 20
second wash treatment
Conclusions
• Thorough handwashing for at least
20 seconds is required to achieve an
acceptable reduction in surface
bacteria
• Personal jewelry may continue to
be a significant source of
contamination even after thorough
handwashing
Key Strategies




Proper employee hygiene
practices
Exclusion or restriction of ill
employees
Availability of handwashing, hand
sanitizing, and toilet facilities
Education and training
What to Monitor:
 Employee Health
 Not working when ill with a diarrheal disease or
with open sores or wounds
 Employee Hygiene





Proper handwashing
Removal of exposed jewelry and other objects
Restraining hair
Wearing clean work clothes
Storing clothes and personal belongings away from
food production areas
What to monitor:
Facility conditions

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Condition and location of hand washing
stations or sinks and toilet facilities;
Condition and availability of hand
sanitizer stations, sinks, or dips;
Type and concentration of hand
sanitizers
Availability of clean aprons and gloves
Employee education

Training sessions
New employees
 Periodic refresher course
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Posters
Booklets
Supervisory reinforcement