Does Temperature Really Matter when Washing your Hands?
In January, I reviewed the changes to the 2022 Food Code in my blog (check out Part I and Part II), and one change to the food code that I had mentioned, but didn’t discuss in-depth, was the change that lowered the water temperature a hand sink was required to produce to 85°F, as noted in Section 2-202.12 of the code. This requirement has been in place since the publishing of the 2001 Food Code, which required a water temperature of 100°F. Prior to this, 110°F was required (see the 1999 Food Code). So why the change and does water temperature when washing your hands really matter?
The change started long before the 2022 edition was being developed. In 2010, the Conference for Food Protection had recommended changing the temperature to 85°F, but when the supplement to the 2009 Food Code was later released, the revision was not included.
As you look at the relationship between hand washing efficacy and water temperature…what we had always believed to be true was not supported by the research.
Growing up in the foodservice business, I had always heard the phrase “as hot as you can handle” when it came to the correct temperature to wash your hands. Many believe that the magical temperature at which hand washing should occur was 100°F. However, that is simply the water temperature that a hand washing sink should reach per the FDA Model Food Code, not necessarily the temperature at which you must wash your hands.
A few years ago, when we were getting ready to explore employee hand washing behavior as part of our research, this “requirement” came up as a discussion point among our research team as we were developing our observation rubrics. After digging into it, we realized that most resources online only said potable water, with no temperature requirement. Our team explored the websites of the Centers for Disease Control and World Health Organization and reviewed the food code to determine what was recommended and required. Outside of finding that food code required water at the sink to be a minimum of 100°F, there was no requirement to wash your hands at a certain temperature and no mention that a higher temperature was necessary.
The more we explored the topic, the more we found that what we had always believed to be true was not supported by the research. Michaels and his colleagues published data in 2001 that concluded that water temperature had no effect on the level of bacterial reduction when using nonantibacterial soap. A follow-up study published by Michaels and another group of researchers in 2002 found similar results, but also noted that the higher water temperatures resulted in skin irritation and loss of water content, a complaint that has often arisen as a frequent barrier to hand washing in the foodservice industry.
Temperature is important because we want out employees to be comfortable washing their hands, so warm water at the hand washing sink is important. But if water temperature is not important in bacterial reduction on the hands, what is? A quality soap, friction (time), and rinsing. Encourage your employees to do these steps and they can help protect your business and themselves from food handler contamination.
I must close with my usual disclaimer when talked about the updated food code – be sure to follow your local food code. Although the 2022 Model Food Code has been released, most jurisdictions are still operating on older versions of the code, and it is important to know the specific requirements in your area. Risk Nothing.
Evaluating Food Safety
One of the suggestions I made in the last blog was to assess the food safety culture in your organization by observing the food handling techniques of workers. Let’s explore that some more. You can do an overall assessment or you can hone in on specific areas of the operation, such as production or cleaning practices. Remember, when the environmental health inspector visits your operation, he/she just gets a snapshot of what is going on in your operation on that particular day at that specific time. You are there nearly every day, so you have a much better understanding on what really happens in your operation.
September is National Food Safety Month: The Future of Food Safety
Each September we recognize the importance of food safety every day in our operations by celebrating National Food Safety Month. This year’s theme, The Future of Food Safety, emphasizes the changing environment in which foodservice operates. Each week of September has a unique focus:
September is Food Safety Education Month: The Culture of Food Safety
Developing a culture of food safety is important for any foodservice operation. You may be wondering--just what is a culture of food safety? Let’s start talking about it by first defining what is meant by culture. When you look culture up in the dictionary, you will see terms such as shared knowledge, beliefs, values, attitudes, and meanings; a way of life; patterns of behavior; learned behavior of a group of people; and transmitted from generation to generation. I think these descriptors provide good insight into the meaning of a culture of food safety. You can also think about where you grew up, and a vision of culture comes. For example, I grew up in rural Oklahoma, graduating in the 1970’s with a class of 24 students. My culture instilled in me an appreciation for rural life, hard work, and independence. As I grow older, I realize I haven’t changed very much from my early years, even though I have completed a PhD, lived a lot of places, and traveled throughout the world!
Produce Safety: Special Considerations
In our last blog, I talked about general produce safety. Today, I want to talk about some special products—melons, tomatoes, leafy greens, and sprouts. These are all foods that have a history of bacterial contamination leading to foodborne illness. I also want to discuss salad bars because they have some special risks.
