 People can harbor pathogens on their skin and hands and in their digestive system or respiratory tract. Ill food workers not properly washing their hands and having bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods are among the most important causes of foodborne illness outbreaks. Human contamination of the sprout during any phase of the growing process from germination through packaging can be the cause of an outbreak of foodborne illness. Current good manufacturing practices require that everyone working in direct contact with food, food contact surfaces, and food packaging materials should adhere to good hygienic practices to protect against contamination of the food. Personal hygiene includes good health habits such as bathing regularly, washing hair, wearing clean clothing, and frequent hand washing. Human hands are used for more than just handling sprouts. They may be used to greet others, to comb hair, eat, to scratch, to handle unsanitary objects and they are used when using the toilet. When engaged in these activities, hands may become contaminated with harmful microorganisms and in some cases, harmful chemical substances. These microorganisms or chemicals can be passed to the sprouts or sprout contact surfaces if effective hand washing techniques are not employed. Employees should know when and how to properly wash their hands. Fingernails should be trimmed, filed, and maintained and hand washing will effectively remove soil from under and around them. Hands should always be washed before food preparation, after touching human body parts, after using the toilet, after coughing, sneezing, using handkerchief or tissue, after using tobacco, eating, or drinking, after engaging in any activity that may contaminate the hands such as taking out the garbage, handling cleaning chemicals, or picking up dropped items, or after caring for or touching animals. Proper hand washing is as potentially hazardous as no hand washing at all. Training programs should be designed to help employees understand exactly what is expected of them and why it is important and should demonstrate proper hand washing techniques. New employees should receive training prior to beginning employment. Principles of personal hygiene and sanitation should be periodically reviewed with all employees. Prominently placed signs or posters are a good reminder. Clothing worn by employees in food processing and production areas should be kept clean. Dirty and soiled clothes can be a source of contamination of food products. Clean uniforms, aprons, or other outer garments that are put on after the employee gets to work can help to minimize contamination from sources outside the processing facility. Clothing, food for meals or snacks, or other personal belongings should not be stored in areas where food is exposed or where equipment or utensils are washed. Clothing and personal items should be stored in a separate, secure area. Hair in food can be a source of both microbiological and physical contamination. Nobody wants to find hair in their food. Food workers should be encouraged to keep their hair clean and should wear appropriate hair and or beard restraints at all times in food processing areas to prevent contamination of the finished products. Hair and beard restraints also discourage workers from touching their hair. Hair can be a source of microorganisms which can contaminate hands and then food or food contact surfaces. Rings, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, watches, and other jewelry can harbor microorganisms that can cause foodborne illness. Jewelry can also fall into food causing a physical hazard. All unsecured jewelry should be removed prior to entering the processing facility. All hand jewelry that cannot be adequately sanitized should be removed or covered by a clean glove. Employees should not eat food, chew gum, drink beverages, or use tobacco in any area where food or food packaging materials may be exposed or where equipment or utensils are washed. Healthy people frequently harbor pathogens in their mouth and respiratory tract. Pathogens can be transferred to employees' hands and then to the food products that they process when they engage in activities where hand-to-mouth contact occurs. These activities should not occur in food processing areas and hands should be washed when employees return to work after engaging in these activities. Perspiration may contaminate food, food contact surfaces, hands, and clothing. Wiping a sweaty brow with a cloth or hand introduces potential contamination. Where possible, facilities should be maintained at a comfortable working temperature. Infectious diseases accompanied by diarrhea or open lesions are a source of pathogens. Employees diagnosed with salmonella typhi, shigella, E. coli 0157H7, or hepatitis A, should not perform jobs that require contact with food or food contact surfaces. All of these diseases are easily transferred to foods and are considered severe health hazards. Any employee with symptoms associated with acute gastrointestinal illness such as vomiting, diarrhea, fever, sore throat with fever, or jaundice should be restricted from working with food. Company policy should encourage employees to report illnesses to their supervisor so that the employee may be reassigned to a job that does not require contact with food. Exposed areas of arms, wrists, and forearms that contain infected wounds should be completely covered by a dry, tight-fitting, impermeable bandage. Cuts or burns on the food worker's hands should be thoroughly bandaged and covered with a clean glove. The following steps should be used to properly wash hands. Wash hands in hot water, 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Soap should be applied to the hands. The surface of the hands, wrists, and forearms should be rub vigorously for at least 20 seconds. Areas in between the fingers, under nails, and forearms should also be scrubbed. Many microorganisms can be removed by friction alone. Soaped and scrubbed hands should be rinsed under clean, warm running water and then dried with a clean, disposable towel. Except when washing sprouts or when otherwise approved by the regulatory authority, food workers should minimize contacting exposed sprouts with their bare hands. Rather, they should use suitable utensils such as tongs, spatulas, or single-use gloves. Single-use gloves are frequently used to avoid direct hand contact, but gloves may create a false sense of security for food handlers. Dirty gloves, like dirty hands, can contaminate products. Single-use gloves should never be washed. They should always be thrown away when they need to be changed. And employees should put on fresh gloves only after thoroughly washing their hands. Employees should understand the importance of maintaining clean gloves. Single-use gloves should be changed after any activity that may contaminate them. In other words, single-use gloves should be changed as often and for the same reasons as an employee would wash their bare hands. If nondisposable gloves, such as rubber gloves, are used in the facility, they should be washed as frequently as bare hands. Hands should be washed before and after putting on nondisposable gloves. Conveniently located and properly equipped hand washing facilities are key factors in getting employees to wash their hands. Hand washing stations should be located in or adjacent to restrooms and should also be located in food processing areas. Hand washing stations should be clean and well maintained and should not be used for purposes other than hand washing. Hand washing stations should be equipped with hot and cold running water under pressure, a supply of soap, and a means to dry hands. Hot water should be at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Cold water does not remove oils, which may harbor microorganisms on the hands. Individual disposable towels are the preferred hand-drying devices. Adequate waste containers should be supplied for used towels. Hand or glove dips may also be considered. Sanitizers designed for this purpose can be obtained from a sanitation supply company and should be prepared according to the label instructions. Hand or glove dips are only appropriate for use with clean hands or gloves. These dips are not a substitute for proper hand washing. The sanitizing solution should be monitored and changed frequently to maintain sanitizer strength. Boot dips are sometimes used to sanitize the bottom of boots or shoes when an employee moves from one part of the facility to another. When properly maintained, boot dips can reduce the spread of microorganisms throughout a facility. However, the sanitizing solution in boot dips can easily become depleted. The sanitizer level should be maintained in the trays in order for these devices to be effective. When used, maintenance of hand, glove, and boot dips should be included as part of the SSOP. Toilet facilities are required for all employees. Employee restrooms should be conveniently located and accessible to employees during all hours of operation. Toilet facilities near work areas promote good personal hygiene, reduce loss productivity, and permit closer supervision of employees. Materials used in the construction of toilet rooms and toilet fixtures should be durable and easily cleanable. The floors, walls, and fixtures in toilet areas should be clean and well maintained. Toilet tissue and disposable paper towels should be supplied, along with easy to clean containers for waste materials. Horse sanitation in toilet areas can spread disease. Dirty toilet facilities can also have a negative effect on the attitudes and work habits of the employees. Include these areas in the routine cleaning program to assure they are kept clean and in good repair. Food or food packaging materials should never be stored in restroom areas. Managers play a very important role in helping their employees prevent contamination of food products. Managers should provide a clear understanding of the personal hygiene practices and company policies regarding illness and other health conditions such as infected wounds that could contaminate products. Policies that provide reassurance that employees will not lose their job if they report an illness or a communicable disease should be developed. Management should continually emphasize how important it is for employees to maintain a high level of cleanliness and good health, and should serve as role models for good work habits and acceptable hygienic practices. They should also ensure that visitors are required to follow the same hygienic practices as employees and have policies in place that prevent unauthorized personnel from being in food processing areas. Adequate documented training is essential. Company expectations for proper hygiene and handwashing procedures should be clearly defined in pre-employment and periodic training programs. New employees should receive training prior to beginning employment, even if it takes considerable time and effort. Once employees understand what is expected of them, effective supervision of employee practices in food processing areas should be used to ensure that employees follow proper procedures. Training should be reviewed whenever incorrect practices are observed. Employees are less likely to follow good personal hygiene expectations when facilities and supplies are insufficient. Management has responsibility for providing properly located and maintained facilities and supplies that will allow employees to adhere to personal hygiene requirements, including dressing or changing rooms that are adequate and properly maintained, laundry services and or uniform services as necessary, designated employee areas for breaks where eating and drinking is allowed, strategically placed and well-stocked handwashing facilities throughout the production area. In summary, sprouts, sprout contact surfaces or sprout packaging materials should be protected from contamination with microorganisms or foreign substances. Achieving this includes having a healthy, clean and properly trained workforce that understands the importance of proper handwashing techniques and personal hygiene. Adequate training programs and management supervision are critical to the preparation of safer sprouts. Thank you.