What is the most important personal hygiene practice for food handlers?

Regular hand washing is considered the most important personal hygiene practice for food handlers because it effectively removes dirt, bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens that can be harmful if transferred to food. Hand washing reduces the risk of foodborne illnesses by ensuring that food handlers clean their hands before and after handling food, as well as after tasks that can contaminate their hands, such as using the restroom, handling raw foods, or touching their face or hair.

While wearing gloves can provide a barrier against contaminants, gloves can become contaminated themselves if not used properly and should not replace hand washing. Hand sanitizers, while useful in some instances, are not a substitute for proper hand washing, as they do not eliminate all types of germs, particularly certain pathogens found in a food service environment. Avoiding food handling when sick is also crucial, but even healthy food handlers need to maintain effective personal hygiene practices like regular hand washing to prevent the spread of illness. Thus, hand washing stands out as the foundational practice for food safety and hygiene.