Scientific Publications by FDA Staff

J Food Safety 1996 Sep;16(3):231-7

Effect of Sanitizers on Listeria Monocytogenes Attached to Latex Gloves

McCarthy SA

Contamination of ready-to-eat seafoods with Listeria monocytogenes is a major concern of the seafood industry. One means of control is the use of hand sanitizers. Five sanitizers (chlorine bleach, Zep-i-dineTM, Zepamine ATM, ZepTM Instant Hand Sanitizer, and Ultra-KleenTM) were evaluated for effectiveness against L. monocytogenes attached to latex gloves in the presence of phosphate buffered saline or crab cooking water. Cooking water had been used to boil the crabs and was heavily laden with organic nutrients. Chlorine, Zepamine ATM, and Ultra-KleenTM reduced numbers of attached L. monocytogenes to nondetectable levels in the presence of phosphate buffered saline; Zep-i-dineTM and ZepTM Instant Hand Sanitizer were less effective. In the presence of crab cooking water, only Ultra-KleenTM reduced cell numbers to nondetectable levels; the effectiveness of the remaining sanitizers was reduced. Extreme care must be taken when choosing hand sanitizers as their efficacy may be affected by organic residues on the gloves of food handlers.