Food Service

Are you wining the war on germs?

The CDC estimates 76 million people get sick with food related illness causing more than 300,000 to be hospitalized and 5,000 die each year. “Hand washing is a very critical area of food safety,” says Jorge Hernandez, senior director of science and regulatory relations at the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation in Chicago. A single foodborne outbreak can potentially close down an operation.” (Source R&I Nov 15, 2000) Experts suggest nearly 50% of all cases of foodborne illness can be eliminated with proper hand washing. Keep dispensers conveniently located for employees to use.

Most common Foodborne Illness causing germs
preventable by effective hand washing:

Kansas Department of Health and Environment

• Hepatitis A
• Shigella
• Salmonella
• E.coli 0157:H7
• Campylobacter

Once germs are on your hands, they can get an all access pass to your body by the food and water you ingest and by touching your mouth, nose, eyes or any open sore.

We can not create sterile environments, but we can significantly reduce the germ population with good, consistent hand hygiene. AQtiv PURE Hand & Body Sanitizer Spray or Gel placed in restrooms and common food preparation areas is a key part of your Hand Washing program.

Post educational materials in the front and back of your restaurant to build greater trust with your customers in addition to reminding your employees of company food safety policies. Below you will find existing programs where you can down load hand hygiene and food safety materials.

RESOURCES

http://peaches.nal.usda.gov/foodborne/fbindex/handwashing.asp - USDA/FDA Foodborne Illness Education Information Center

http://www.kdhe.state.ks.us/wash_em/howtowash.htm - Kansas Department of Health & Environment Wash Em’ UP brochures, posters, stickers, foodservice workers info

http://www.fightbac.org - Partnership for Food Safety Education, posters, graphics, facts, links

http://www.foodsafety.gov/~fsg/fsgret.html - Hygiene programs, posters, facts, & links

http://www.washup.org/ - American Society for Microbiology hand washing campaign

Flash Fire Associated with the Use of Alcohol-Based Antiseptic Agent
Read the Letter - American Journal of Infection Control June 2002 Letter to Editor