The fragrance always remains in the hand that gives the rose, says an old proverb. Similarly, infections can linger on the hand too. This can be self-ingested or transmitted to another causing infections. “Hand hygiene should be our top priority to avoid any form of infections,” says Chef Sushil Dwarkanathan, co-founder and head of academics, Slurp Culinary Academy.
Hand hygiene is one of the affordable and easiest human interventions to ensure good health, says Dr Pranab Chatterjee, who specialises in epidemiology of infectious diseases and global health at the Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore. Hand hygiene can be maintained either by washing hands with soap or by rubbing your hands with hand sanitizers.
Why is hand hygiene necessary?
Hand hygiene is the need of the hour, says Dr Chatterjee. “Regularly following hand hygiene prevents major infections such as diarrhea and respiratory illnesses among children and adults and gastroenteritis (infection that causes inflammation in the stomach and intestines) in children.”
What is hand hygiene for a chef?
Chef Dwarkanathan cites the example of a salmonella-infected-egg and the cross contamination that can play havoc on an individual’s health. He adds that the culinary rules expect workers to clean their hands thoroughly after each step of cooking. “The salmonella bacteria is notorious for spreading infection through physical touch. If I break an egg, which may be salmonella-infected and then move on to touch a ladle without washing my hands, the ladle can have remnants of salmonella bacteria. It could infect another colleague who uses the same ladle. Similarly, blood can carry pathogens too,” he says. “Hence, a wounded chef is not allowed to cook food.”
When contaminated hands infects the food
The CDC report on Water, Sanitation, and Environmentally Related Hygiene (WASH) explains, foodborne disease outbreaks are spread by contaminated hands and handwashing helps reduce the risk drastically.
Food workers wash hands with soap and water after each step of cooking and wipe thoroughly, says Dwarkanathan. “Tissues are resistant to wear and tear and are highly absorbent. Ideally, kitchen towels are not used, to avoid contamination. Gloves are a must when serving food and they are colour coded to avoid food contamination.”
Experts recommend hand hygiene practices to be followed at home too to avoid food-borne infections.
Do you rub your hands with sanitizer or wash your hands with soap?
The 2020 report on National Guidelines for Infection Prevention and control in healthcare facilities by Ministry of health and family welfare, Government of India explains when one can use hand wash and hand sanitizer:
Hand wash with soap and water is preferred:
- when hands are visibly dirty or soiled
- before and after eating food
- after using the toilet
Hand rubbing with an alcohol-based preparation is opted when:
- Hands are not visibly soiled
- Running water is unavailable
- There is a need for antisepsis
Hand wash with soap and water v/s hand rub: What CDC says
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends use of soap and water for hand washing except in limited-resource-settings where water is unavailable or scarce.
Dr Chatterjee justifies CDC’s claims and says, “Washing hands with soap and water helps kill specific microbes such as cryptosporidium (parasite that causes the diarrhea) and clostridioides difficile (bacteria that infects the intestine). Another advantage of hand wash is that it can help remove noninfectious contaminants like pesticides and chemicals.”
Dr. Y. Dayanandan, General medicine, Kauvery Hospital, Chennai points out, “In places with scarce or no water, hand hygiene can be practised through alcohol-based hand sanitizers. These sanitizers act as antiseptic and kill germs provided they contain a minimum of 60% alcohol.”
Dr Dayanandan suggests the method for washing your hands:
- Thoroughly lather your fingers, tip of the fingers, nails, back of the hands and thumbs with soap or liquid dispenser
- It’s hygienic to use a liquid soap dispenser in public places and soap bars for personal use.
“The hand washing process should last for at least 20 seconds,” says Dr Chatterjee.
Precautions to use alcohol-based hand sanitizers
Dr Dayanandan warns, one must always wait for a minute or two after rubbing the alcohol on the hands before consuming any food to avoid allergy and to ensure killing germs.
Hand sanitisers have alcohol and other chemicals. Therefore, Dr Dayananandan says, these chemicals can react on sensitive skin. “So, people with sensitive skin, or who have psoriasis and other skin-related issues must refrain from using hand sanitisers if they experience skin irritation.”
Experts suggest they should consult a doctor to identify the root cause of irritation and use hand wash prescribed by the doctors.
Takeaways
- Hand hygiene is cost-effective and ensures good health.
- Hand hygiene prevents diarrhea, respiratory illness and gastroenteritis.
- Hand wash using soap and water is recommended for optimal sanitation.
- Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be used when water is unavailable or scarce.
- Alcohol-based hand sanitizers should contain at least 60% alcohol.
