We serve as a trusted resource for the latest news and helpful information related to skin health and surface hygiene advancements. GOJO microbiologists, scientists,
nurses and other professionals post regularly
and we also get the views of outside experts and
thought leaders in the field. It’s all part of the
GOJO Purpose, Saving Lives and Making Lives Better Through Well-Being Solutions.
E. coli 101: Understanding the Threat
8/30/2023
By Jim Arbogast, Ph.D.
Hygiene Sciences and Public Health Advancements Vice President, GOJO Industries
September is Food Safety Education Month – a time set aside each year to increase general awareness about food safety and help prevent foodborne illness, which sickens 1 in 6 Americans each year.1 This year, we're choosing to highlight E. coli, fresh on the heels of the new Netflix documentary "Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food" which examines the food industry in the U.S., and in recognition of the 30th anniversary of the infamous Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak.
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Understanding the Food Safety Risks with Reusable Wiping Cloths and the “Red Bucket”
7/11/2023
By Chip Manuel, Ph.D.
Food Safety Science Advisor, GOJO Industries
There’s a good chance that you’ve been to a restaurant and observed an employee grab a soaking wet cloth towel from a red bucket filled with solution and then use the towel to wipe a table clean for the next set of guests. But did you know this seemingly routine practice can carry food safety risks if not conducted properly? In this article, we will take a deeper dive into the practice of reusable wiping cloths, exploring some of the potential food safety risks of this practice as demonstrated by recent scientific efforts.
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Top 5 Citations in Food Establishment Inspections & Prevention Tips
5/31/2023
By Chip Manuel, Ph.D.
Food Safety Science Advisor, GOJO Industries
It has been 30 years since the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) published the first Food Code, which serves as a model framework for ensuring food safety in retail food establishments – including restaurants, grocery stores, foodservice areas in convenience stores, caterers, and cafeterias in schools, hospitals, nursing facilities, and other institutions. State and local health departments are responsible for licensing and inspecting these foodservice operations and enforcing Food Code regulations, including potentially citing health code violations.
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Hospitality and Leisure Labor Shortages: 3 Simple Ways to Save Staff Time and Show Guests You Care
5/26/2023
By Michael Herbkersman
Market Development Manager, GOJO Industries
As the 2023 summer travel season rapidly approaches, the Travel, Hospitality, and Leisure industries are bracing for what might be a record year. It’s no secret that travel and leisure are back. Individuals and families are ready to get back to traveling to their favorite hotels, resorts, and attractions. The industry expects summer travel numbers to meet and likely exceed pre-pandemic levels.
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What is Norovirus?
2/21/2023
By Chip Manuel, Ph.D.
Food Safety Science Advisor, GOJO Industries
Also By Megan J. DiGiorgio, MSN, RN, CIC, FAPIC
Senior Clinical Manager, GOJO Industries
CDC data shows that cases of norovirus (aka "the stomach bug") are rising. Recently, there have been multiple elementary schools in the news after outbreaks. You may have even heard from friends who had a recent bout with the dreaded "stomach flu." This blog will cover the basics about norovirus to help you prepare personally and prevent an outbreak at your business/school.
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Food Safety Experts Share Best Practices for Norovirus Prevention in Food Establishments
2/1/2023
By Chip Manuel, Ph.D.
Food Safety Science Advisor, GOJO Industries
As we reach peak norovirus season, I wanted to share the below takeaways from a conversation I had with two top food safety experts at the 2022 Food Safety Summit. Hal King, Ph.D., Managing Partner, Active Food Safety and Founder/CEO, Public Health Innovation, and Lee-Ann Jaykus, Ph.D., William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor, North Carolina State University, shared best practices to help food establishments prevent foodborne pathogens from spreading at their facilities, with a focus on norovirus.
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Slowing the Spread of Norovirus – Lessons Learned from a Global Pandemic
10/24/2022
By Chip Manuel, Ph.D.
Food Safety Science Advisor, GOJO Industries
Also By Hal King, Ph.D.
Managing Partner, Active Food Safety and Founder/CEO of Public Health Innovations
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous impact on global public health as well as the food industry. In the U.S., restaurant and foodservice loss of sales surpassed $185 billion between March and August 2020. During the pandemic, the adoption of enhanced sanitation protocols, such as increased frequency for high-touch surface disinfection, thought at the time to reduce the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, was widespread. This helped reduce outbreaks of norovirus, the most common cause of foodborne illness in the U.S., by over 80%.
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New Research Highlights the Importance of Surface Sanitizer Formulation for Norovirus Control
10/10/2022
By Chip Manuel, Ph.D.
Food Safety Science Advisor, GOJO Industries
It’s official: norovirus is back. Despite norovirus outbreaks being at historic lows during the COVID-19 pandemic, the virus, which is the #1 cause of foodborne illness in the United States, came surging back in the first quarter of 2022 with outbreaks peaking at nearly 80 per week in March. Norovirus is a particularly pesky virus for a variety of reasons.
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Back to the Basics for National Food Safety Education Month
9/21/2022
By Chip Manuel, Ph.D.
Food Safety Science Advisor, GOJO Industries
Did you know that an estimated 48 million people in the U.S. get sick each year with a foodborne illness? That’s 1 in every 6 people! To increase food safety awareness and spread the word on safe food handling practices, federal agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), have deemed September National Food Safety Education Month. In this blog, we go “back to the basics” and revisit some easy food safety principles that we all can practice more frequently, which can help reduce our chances of getting sick from food.
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Hidden Germs in Collegiate Dining Facilities
7/18/2022
By Dawn Yeomans, Ph.D.
Research Principal, GOJO Industries
Germs are everywhere. Did you know, on average, adults can touch as many as 30 objects in a single minute, including germ-harboring, high-touch surfaces? In fact, germs that can make your students and staff sick can survive pretty much anywhere and live from hours to even months depending on the germ and where it’s residing! This is partly why outbreaks – like COVID-19, cold, flu, and gastrointestinal illness – are common on college and university campuses. The residential style of shared dining facilities and high student-to-student contact make campuses breeding grounds for infectious outbreaks.
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