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Issue Number: Council III 011
Title
Issue you would like the Conference to consider
The CFP Hand Hygiene Committee has identified specific issues pertaining to the hand hygiene requirements in the Food Code that require continued Conference deliberation. A 2014-2016 CFP Hand Hygiene Committee should be created by the Conference to continue the work on these initiatives.
Public Health Significance
The main purpose of washing hands is to cleanse the hands of soil, pathogens and chemicals that can potentially cause disease. Transmission of pathogenic bacteria, viruses and parasites to food from contaminated surfaces, raw food or ill workers by way of improperly washed hands continues to be a major factor in the spread of foodborne illnesses. The 2012-2014 Hand Hygiene Committee believes that the necessary ground work was established during its deliberations to make informed recommendations regarding hand hygiene clarifications in the Food Code.
Recommended Solution: The Conference recommends...
re-creating the Hand Hygiene Committee and charged with the following:
1. Work in collaboration with the FDA to:
a. Ascertain if additional definitions are necessary to clarify the hand hygiene procedures listed in the Food Code.
b. Use current research including the documents created by the Committee 2012-2014 (Hand Contamination Event Hazard Chart; Questions to Consider when Evaluating Studies of Alternative Handwashing Approaches; and Scientific, Regulatory and Behavioral Consideration of Hand Hygiene Regimes) to explore if the mandate to wash hands after touching face/hair can be modified.
c. Identify any recent credible research for "when to wash" moments in the Food Code, and document if this research can be used to justify modifications to the Food Code.
2. Report back the Committee's findings and outcomes to the 2016 Biennial Meeting of the Conference for Food Protection.