Hepatitis A Prevention for Baltimore Food Service Businesses

Hand Hygiene and Employee Health Screening

Hepatitis A spreads primarily through the fecal-oral route, making hand washing the most critical control point in food service. The Baltimore City Health Department requires employees to wash hands with soap and warm running water for at least 20 seconds after using the restroom, before food preparation, and after handling raw foods. Implement mandatory health screenings that exclude employees with jaundice, abdominal pain, or diarrhea for at least one week after symptom onset. Maryland regulations require documented health questionnaires during hiring and periodic training on proper handwashing technique—use visual reminders at every sink and enforce compliance through observation.

Sanitation Protocols and Environmental Controls

Hepatitis A virus survives on surfaces and can contaminate ready-to-eat foods through poor sanitation. The Baltimore City Health Department mandates that food contact surfaces be cleaned and sanitized at least every four hours using an approved sanitizer (chlorine, iodine, or quaternary ammonia at proper concentrations). Pay special attention to restroom areas, door handles, and preparation surfaces where viral contamination is most likely. Establish a documented cleaning schedule with staff sign-offs and maintain separate hand-washing stations from food preparation areas. Test sanitizer concentrations daily using test strips and keep records available for health department inspections.

Temperature Control and Food Storage Best Practices

While Hepatitis A is not killed by refrigeration, proper temperature control prevents cross-contamination and ensures overall food safety compliance with Maryland's Food Service Sanitation Code. Maintain cold foods below 41°F and hot foods above 135°F, monitoring temperatures at least twice daily with calibrated thermometers. Store ready-to-eat foods separately from raw proteins to prevent contamination from virus-carrying hands or surfaces. The Maryland Department of Health recommends single-use gloves be changed frequently and never treated as a substitute for handwashing. Implement a purchase traceability system through Panko Alerts to monitor food sources and quickly identify contaminated ingredients if a recall occurs.

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