Which practice promotes good hand hygiene in the food industry?

The practice that promotes good hand hygiene in the food industry is regular handwashing with soap. Handwashing is an essential aspect of food safety as it effectively eliminates pathogens that can be present on hands. This process involves scrubbing hands thoroughly with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds, which helps remove dirt, grease, and microorganisms that could contaminate food.

While handling cleaning cloths while wearing protective gloves can help minimize cross-contamination, it does not directly contribute to hand hygiene on its own. In contrast, alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be effective when soap and water are not available; however, they do not always eliminate all types of germs and are not as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy. Wearing a hairnet is important for preventing hair from falling into food but does not affect hand hygiene directly.

Therefore, the most effective practice to promote hand hygiene among food handlers is regular handwashing with soap, ensuring that food contact surfaces, equipment, and food remain safe from contamination.