Soap Required In Foodservice Facilities

Foodservice facilities should use soap rather than hand sanitizer to clean hands. Food proteins and fatty materials, commonly found on foodservice workers hands, can significantly reduce the effectiveness of an alcohol gel. So in foodservice settings, where bacteria and enteric viruses such as Norovirus are the primary concerns, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Model Food Code Rules and Regulations state that hand sanitizers may be used by food workers in addition to, but not in place of, proper hand washing with soap. And because hand sanitizers are considered to be a food additive, only products approved by the FDA may be used in foodservice settings.

In situations like this, when soap is recommended, cleaners should provide products that reduce dryness — such as soaps with emollients and stand-alone moisturizers.