After reaching into your wallet to give a co-worker some money, what should you do?

Washing hands for a minimum total of 20 seconds before returning to food preparation is essential for ensuring food safety. When you reach into your wallet, your hands may come into contact with bacteria and other contaminants that could compromise food hygiene. The practice of handwashing, especially after handling items that are not food-related, is a critical step in preventing cross-contamination.

The 20-second guideline ensures that hands are thoroughly cleaned, reducing the risk of spreading pathogens. This practice aligns with food safety standards and is vital for maintaining a hygienic environment in food preparation areas, ultimately protecting consumer health.

Using hand sanitizer as a method to clean hands after handling potentially contaminated items, while helpful, is not as effective as soap and water in eliminating all types of germs, especially when hands are visibly soiled or contaminated. Changing gloves without washing hands may not adequately address the potential contamination since the gloves can become contaminated too. Just returning to food preparation without any hand hygiene updates poses significant health risks.