Hand sanitisers not effective enough
Even a pathogen (Klebsiella oxytoca) was found in sanitizer products which are rather objectionable in terms of both effectiveness and cleanliness – was declared at one of the most important professional events of domestic food safety, that is, the 2023 Hungalimentaria Conference.
Mrs. Dr. Zsuzsanna Németh Földi of the National Food Chain Safety Office (Nébih) and her colleagues tested the bactericide, fungicide/yeasticide effectiveness unopened disinfectants and sanitisers available in the market and opened product samples sent to her laboratory in relation to suspected cases of food infection or poisoning, which is food safety requirement to be met by disinfectants used in food production.
As part of the official inspections in addition to taking samples they also examined the circumstances of the use of such products at the inspected premises, including whether the relevant users’ instructions were available and whether such instructions were observed by the workers.
From the aggregated data it is concluded that the hand sanitisers and disinfectant dishwashing detergents are considerably objectionable in terms of bacterial contamination – said the specialist at the conference organised by Nébih and Eurofins operator of independent laboratories.
As was also discussed in an earlier article on Laboratorium.hu, hand sanitizers designed for use in the food industry may – with specific authorisations – be used in healthcare as well, therefore in the case of contaminated disinfectants there may be a risk of nosocomial infections which may (for example in the case of organ transplants, catheter insertion or the use of respirators) even lead to fatal infections. The contamination of disinfectants may originate from inadequate manufacturing technologies or from being refilled into already contaminated bottles during use.
The inadequate effective spectrum of a disinfectant may result, for example, from a wrong active substance combination, inadequate application concentration, contact time and temperature, high organic matter load on the surface and any combination of these. Moreover literature also discusses instances of resistance to certain active substances of disinfectants (the Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterium was often found to be resistant, for instance, to the active substance called quaternary ammonium).
How do we know whether the products we buy are effective?
The legal regulations concerning biocidal products is highly complex but – in Hungary – the essence is set out in Government Decree 316/2013. As well as the mandatory documents, the data sheet required for marketing must contain the report of tests carried out by an accredited laboratory on the basis of European standards in proof of antimicrobial effect, or on the basis of any other equivalent method, according to another document on Laboratorium.hu.
Manufacturers of disinfectants may only market their products if they can certify their microbiological effectiveness with test reports issued by accredited laboratories. Larger accredited laboratories such as that of Eurofins Analytical Services Hungary Kft. - perform tests of disinfectants. Only accredited laboratories are authorised in Hungary to test products for virucidal effects. The most important requirement is that microbiological effectiveness tests must be carried out on such products every time before their marketing.
How to prevent contamination of disinfectants?
If during inadequate manufacture or storage a disinfectant is contaminated with bacteria, it will have long term the effects and implications. When refilling bottles particular attention must therefore be paid to making sure that they are rinsed with hot water before refilling in order to eliminate any (non-sporous) micro-organism that may be present.
Always check, and observe, the storage instructions and information printed on the packaging. Do not forget about the rules and instructions on storage conditions, dilution and use either.
Hungalimentaria is one of the most important food safety conferences in Hungary, organised in collaboration by Eurofins Analytical Services Hungary Kft., operating as the legal successor of Wessling Hungary Kft’s., and the National Food Chain Safety Office. Participants and visitors were invited to more than 60 presentations, and numerous exhibitions during the two-day event.