EFFECT OF A HEXACHLORAPHENE DETERGENT ON THE MICROBIAL POPULATION OF THE HANDS OF FOOD HANDLERS1

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A handwashing study was conducted to determine whether a 3% hexachloraphene hand detergent could materially reduce the normal bacterial population on the hands of food handlers. Total count, staphyloccoccus count, and total gram negative bacteria count showed significant reductions when the hexachloraphene detergent was used. No decline occured when three other hand detergents were used. It was suggested that the gram negative bacteria count may be a better indicator of transient organisms on the hands than the total count which includes a greater proportion of resident bacteria.