By Allison Gallant
Sanitation is one of the breakthroughs of modern society: as we connected the dots between waste and disease, we learned the importance of washing our hands. In high-risk industries like health care and food, sanitation and hygiene are central to our processes and training. But it’s estimated that up to 80% of infections are transmitted by hands.
For food handlers, pathogenic bacteria and viruses – those that cause illness—are of particular concern. According to a study conducted by Queen Mary University in London, England, fecal matter, including E. coli, can be found on just over a quarter of the surface area of our hands. And where there’s E. coli, there’s probably a sanitation issue somewhere in your facility or supply chain.