We spotlight the importance of hand
hygiene to improve public health, serve as a trusted
resource and raise awareness of leading-edge hand
hygiene and skin health scientific advancements through the GOJO Hand Hygiene Blog.
GOJO microbiologists, scientists,
nurses and communication 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.
What Do Sanitarians Look for During a Health Inspection?
10/29/2019
By Suzanne Krippel
Program Manager for the Food Protection Unit at the Cuyahoga County Board of Health
Two of the most critical aspects of food protection are frequent, thorough handwashing and clean and sanitary surfaces. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified proper handwashing and clean and sanitary surfaces as two of the five most important risk factors related to food protection. And, oftentimes, the vast majority of foodborne illness investigations that are conducted could have been prevented by proper handwashing. So, as a sanitarian, what do I look for once I walk into a facility?
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The Top Reasons Your Surface Sanitizing Falls Short
10/28/2019
By Chip Manuel, Ph.D.
Food Safety Science Advisor
Although the "bucket and rag” method may be the industry standard for cleaning surfaces in restaurants, if not performed properly, these techniques can be ineffective at best. Cleaning and sanitizing with reusable towels requires constant monitoring of the sanitizing solution, the surfaces being cleaned, and the towels themselves. Proper storage, laundering and disposal of towels also contribute to the success of a cleaning program – and if any of these variables fall behind, cross-contamination is a very real possibility.
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Avoiding Cross-Contamination: It’s All About the Details
10/28/2019
By Chip Manuel, Ph.D.
Food Safety Science Advisor
It’s common knowledge in the foodservice industry that cleaning and sanitizing surfaces, along with proper hand hygiene practices, is one of the best ways to prevent cross-contamination of germs in restaurants. But just because things look clean doesn’t mean they are – kitchen equipment, storage areas, countertops and even cutting boards can hide germs and food soils even after they’ve been cleaned and sanitized. And that’s bad news for your food safety program.
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What You Need to Know About Candida auris in the Healthcare Setting
10/10/2019
By Rachel Leslie
Clinical Science Manager
Recent media reports have called attention to Candida auris, a fungus which was first discovered in a woman’s ear canal in a Japanese hospital in 20091 and has since spread across the globe, landing in the United States four years ago as a new cause of healthcare-associated infections.2 According to the CDC, C. auris is an emerging pathogen that presents a serious global health threat due to frequent resistance to antifungal drugs, causing severe illness in patients, patients remaining carriers of the organism, and its’ ability to survive on environmental surfaces for an extended period of time.3
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Hepatitis A: What We Know (and Can Learn) from the Outbreaks
8/13/2019
By Chip Manuel, Ph.D.
Food Safety Science Advisor
According to Florida Department of Health, the state had 106 hepatitis A cases in 2014. 123 in 2015. 122 in 2016. In 2017, that number doubled to 276. In 2018, it almost doubled again – reaching 548 cases. As of August 3rd, that number is almost 4x the number of cases from the previous year. In 2019, 2,123 hepatitis A cases have been reported to date. In fact, in the week of July 28th to August 3rd had 81 hepatitis A cases. While Florida is getting the most media attention, 29 states have reported an ongoing hepatitis A outbreak, according to the CDC.
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