Currently, the restaurant industry is facing numerous and simultaneous challenges:
Contagious illnesses are prevalent. Highly contagious illnesses like norovirus are more common in colder months. Norovirus outbreaks are frequently linked to restaurants and other foodservice settings, where it’s believed that norovirus can spread from infected workers not following proper handwashing protocols, spreading the pathogens via surfaces, equipment, and food to colleagues and customers.
Tainted produce has been linked to foodborne illness outbreaks and recalls. Fresh produce has been linked to more foodborne illnesses than any other food variety. For instance, cantaloupe contaminated with Salmonella sickened (and killed) consumers late last year, resulting in a huge, multi-state recall. Around the same time, peaches and plums were also recalled due to possible listeria contamination.
The “Big 6” foodborne illnesses remain prevalent. Restaurants have to be aware of—and work to avoid—the six most common foodborne illnesses, known as the “Big 6” —Salmonella, Salmonella typhi (Typhoid), Shigella, E. coli, Norovirus, and Hepatitis A. Additionally, here have been numerous Listeria outbreaks in the past year. All foodservice employees must be trained properly and consistently about how to prevent foodborne illnesses.
Labor shortages continue. The ongoing staffing shortages could jeopardize restaurants’ food safety efforts, as some busy restaurant employees may occasionally take “short-cuts” to try and save time. If employees skip important steps in safety and quality protocols—like failing to properly wash produce, equipment, or surfaces—it could result in more food safety incidents and outbreaks.
Consumers are demanding enhanced cleanliness and sanitation. In the pre-COVID era, safety and cleanliness protocols were conducted “behind the scenes,” and consumers didn’t think much about it but now, consumers want unmistakable proof that restaurants are impeccably clean. They expect to see employees frequently cleaning and disinfecting surfaces, including high touch areas like doorknobs and menus. Guests want reassurance that restaurant kitchens are meticulously clean, with staff taking every precaution (e.g., washing produce, avoiding cross-contamination, etc.) to keep them safe.
Restaurant brands must work constantly to protect their customers, employees, foods, and businesses. Therefore, restaurant employees should always follow the strictest protocols to maximize safety, quality, and compliance.
As part of these efforts, restaurant teams must consistently clean, sanitize, and disinfect foods, surfaces, and equipment to help reduce or eliminate harmful pathogens. But did you know that some traditional sanitizers and disinfectants are inefficient and potentially harmful to people, food, and the environment? Now, there’s a better way to disinfect and sanitize.
HOCI, a powerful, safe, & sustainable solution
As restaurants strive to elevate their food safety protocols—and follow more sustainable practices—they’re turning to Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) to disinfect and sanitize their facilities (and their foods).
HOCI allows businesses to sanitize and disinfect effectively, sustainably, and responsibly. This effective solution has many important benefits. It’s non-toxic and chemical-free, yet more powerful than bleach. It’s eco-friendly, yet proven to kill even the toughest pathogens. And it’s safe for humans, food, and the environment.
HOCI is compliant with CDC, FDA, and EPA regulations, so food businesses can feel comfortable and confident using it, knowing that it meets the US governing bodies’ stringent safety and quality guidelines.
An important new trend in the food sector is using HOCI to keep their foods, customers, employees, and businesses safer. HOCI offers many significant and valuable benefits. It is:
Highly effective. HOCl is 80-100x more potent than bleach and extremely effective at killing harmful pathogens, including some that may be resistant to traditional sanitizers. HOCI has been proven to kill common foodborne pathogens like E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria, COVID, influenza, RSV, and norovirus. In fact,HOCI is becoming more widely known (and used) in numerous industries—including foodservice, hospitality, healthcare, travel and tourism, and more—because of its proven effectiveness in killing bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.
Safe, chemical-free, and eco-friendly. HOCl is non-toxic, chemical-free, and safe to use on surfaces, equipment, and food. While other sanitizers may leave harmful residues, HOCl breaks down into simple saltwater after use, posing no risk to consumers, employees, or the environment. Restaurants are, increasingly, using HOCI to maintain the highest standards of cleanliness and hygiene while minimizing the impact on the planet. Because HOCl is non-toxic, it eliminates the risks for respiratory issues, unlike other sanitizers, like ozone, which can be hazardous to human health if inhaled in significant quantities.
Versatile, efficient, and easy to handle. HOCl is odorless and tasteless, and can be used in various applications on food, surfaces, and equipment. HOCI can be used as a dip wash, spray, and fog, and is generally safer and easier to handle than other types of sanitizers and disinfectants. While there’s no specialized equipment required, reputable manufacturers and proper training are essential. Since HOCI is rinse-free,it saves time, effort, and water—a significant advantage for restaurants, where speed and efficiency are crucial. Also, HOCI has a longer shelf life than other types of sanitizers.
An effective “kill step” for foods. Food safety experts recommend implementing a kill step, using HOCI to help eliminate microbial pathogens attached to the produce or in the wash water. Pre-washing and sanitizing produce with HOCl helps get rid of dirt, feces, and other contaminants, which can help prevent future outbreaks associated with contaminated foods. This is an important differentiator for HOCI as a sanitizer and disinfectant, especially with all the recent foodborne illness outbreaks associated with produce.
Moving forward, HOCI will become more widely used in the food industry—among other sectors—because of its safety, effectiveness, sustainability, and its compliance with CDC, FDA, and EPA regulations. HOCI is expected to gain a more significant following thanks to its various benefits and ability to dramatically improve organizations’ food safety efforts.
Morten Larsen is CEO & Founder of EcoloxTech, which is leading the way in eco-friendly disinfection solutions, uniquely using Hypochlorous acid (HOCl), a naturally occurring, eco-friendly disinfectant that has gained recognition for its proven effectiveness in killing bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens, including MRSA, E. coli, COVID, Influenza, and Norovirus. EcoloxTech products are effective against 99.99% of all pathogens and 80-100 times more effective than bleach, yet are non-toxic, sustainable, and safe for humans, pets, and the environment. EcoloxTech products are being successfully used in hospitals, foodservice, cruise ships, and more.
Francine L. Shaw is a food safety specialist, podcaster, founder of Savvy Food Safety, author of “Who Watches the Kitchen?”, and a successful entrepreneur, and speaker who spent 30+ years working in the foodservice industry. Her career has included performing services (operating partner, corporate/private trainer, health inspector, third party inspector, adjunct professor) in various sectors of the foodservice industry. She has written hundreds of articles for national trade magazines and appeared on Dr. Oz, the BBC World Series Radio, and iHeart Radio as a food safety expert.
