Hand Hygiene and Hand Washing

FSM 265: Take the Norovirus Challenge: Healthy Habits for 2024

Episode Transcription I’m Susie Criag, this is Food Safety in a Minute Have you had gastroenteritis this year? If you’ve been in good health but experienced vomiting and diarrhea, it’s likely you had a foodborne illness, norovirus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in six Americans suffer from foodborne illnesses annually, […]

FSM 174: The Science of Hand Washing: Update on COVID-19 and Hand Washing

Episode Transcription From Washington State University Extension, this is Food Safety in a Minute. Have you wondered if hand washing prevents COVID-19 as well as its’ new variants? For personal protection, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue recommending washing with soap and water, scrubbing for 20 seconds, rinsing under running water, and drying […]

FSM 173: The Science of Hand Washing: Warm Water, Cold Water, Contaminated Water

Episode Transcription I’m Susie Craig from Washington State University Extension. For years, warm or hot water was recommended for hand washing. Ongoing hand hygiene research shows cold water works just as effectively. Some studies found hot water more irritating for those washing repeatedly throughout the day. Cold water is also more energy efficient. In many parts […]

FSM 172: The Science of Hand Washing: Why Scrub for Twenty Seconds

Episode Transcription From Washington State University Extension, this is Food Safety in a Minute. Have you wondered why hand washing guidelines suggest 20 seconds? Scientists have studied the time necessary to remove harmful pathogens when you follow a prescribed pattern of hand washing. That time is twenty seconds. During those twenty seconds of scrubbing, it’s up […]

FSM 171: The Science of Hand Washing: When to Wash Your Hands

Episode Transcription From Washington State University Extension, I’m Susie Craig. Take a moment to think about goal of hand washing. It’s Protection: Protecting yourself and protecting others. Based on scientific research, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend you wash your hands: This is Food Safety in a Minute. Resources Centers for Disease Control and […]

FSM 166: Norovirus: Hand Washing versus Hand Sanitizer

Episode Transcription From Washington State University Extension, this is Susie Craig for Food Safety in a Minute. How do lower your risk of a norovirus infection or prevent spreading it to others? Effective hand washing. Period. Use soap and water, scrub all surfaces of your hands and wrists for 20 seconds, rinse, and dry with […]

FSM 144: What is a Ghost Kitchen?

Episode Transcription Welcome to Food Safety in a Minute. Have you heard the term ghost kitchen? It’s a new term for food preparation operations who provide delivery service to your home. Arising from the COVID pandemic, you may find ghost kitchens on applications such as DoorDash or Grubhub. Online, they look like a conventional restaurant. […]

FSM 073: What Kind of Soap is Best for Hand Washing?

Episode Transcription From Washington State University Extension, this is Susie Craig. Have you noticed there are fewer antibacterial soaps and body washes in stores? They’ve been around for years, but in 2019 the Food and Drug Administration determined antibacterial soap sold to consumers wasn’t any better than plain soap and water in preventing infections. In […]

FSM 072: Viruses, Soap and Health

Episode Transcription This is Susie Craig from Food Safety in a Minute. Viruses are different from bacteria in that they aren’t living organisms. Once a virus exits an infected person they can be transferred to others, often easily on hands and surfaces, including clothes. Alone, on surfaces, they do not cause infection. They need a […]

FSM 071: Better Way to Wash Your Hands

Episode Transcription This is Susie Craig from Washington State University Extension. Handwashing is the best way to rid your hands of viruses. Whether it’s a coronavirus leading to a foodborne illness such as norovirus or a respiratory illness caused by the novel COVID-19 virus, protection is the same, wash your hands. It’s vital to follow […]