Catering: warning of a simple hygiene mistake that there’s a 99% chance of making!

Caterer washing hands with a Teal HandeMan Xtra portable sink

There’s an easy remedy says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The need for effective hand hygiene is – or should – be greater than ever during the current pandemic, particularly when preparing food. Which is why a recent alert from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will cause such consternation, says a recent report on the Best Life website.Ā 

It’s something that 99% of Americans are reckoned to be doing wrong – putting them at risk of “serious illness” – a situation that simply should not happen.

The headline statistic is a really stark one – yet it’s a problem that’s so easy to rectify!

“The USDA says 99 percent of people do not properly wash their hands.”

Experts from the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) (a branch of the USDA), have warned that this simple fact “presents a serious problem when it comes to food preparation, because the kitchen is known to spread dangerous germs, including Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. coli, Listeria, and more.”

Clean hands are essential in the battle to prevent the spread of foodborne illnesses says the report.

Effective hand washing is key

The solution to this significant problem is quite simply, in everyone’s hands. The article refers to advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) where thorough washing techniques for a suitable period of time will achieve the desired results.

“Scientific studies show that you need to scrub for 20 seconds to remove harmful germs and chemicals from your hands. If you wash for a shorter time, you will not remove as many germs.”

And finally, a warning from the CDC that is in its own way even more alarming than the 99% statistic.

“…the CDC warns that 31 percent of Americans have an even bigger problem: failing to wash their hands at all before preparing food.”

Just when you thought that things couldn’t get any worse… Let’s hope that the UK is a little more ahead of the game!

There’s a 99 Percent Chance You’re Making This Hygiene Mistake, USDA Says Ā»

WashStand Xtra mobile sink for indoor and outdoor caterers
WashStand Xtra mobile sink for indoor and outdoor caterers

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