Hepatitis A Prevention Guide for Indianapolis Food Service

Hand Hygiene and Sanitation Protocols

Hepatitis A spreads primarily through fecal-oral contact, making hand hygiene your first line of defense. The Indiana State Health Department requires food handlers to wash hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds after using restrooms, before handling food, and after touching any contaminated surfaces. Hand sanitizer alone is ineffective against Hepatitis A—only soap and water breaks down the virus's protective coating. Install clearly marked handwashing stations with hot water (at least 100°F), soap dispensers, and single-use towels in food prep areas and restrooms. Establish cleaning schedules for high-touch surfaces including door handles, cash registers, and food contact surfaces using an EPA-approved disinfectant effective against enveloped viruses.

Employee Health Screening and Sick Leave Policies

The Marion County Health Department mandates that food service employees reporting jaundice, dark urine, pale stools, or abdominal pain must be immediately excluded from work and evaluated by a healthcare provider. Hepatitis A has a 15-50 day incubation period, meaning infected employees can transmit the virus before symptoms appear. Implement pre-shift health screening questions and maintain documentation of employee illness reports. Establish a clear sick leave policy that allows employees to stay home without penalty when experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms or confirmed illnesses. Train managers to recognize Hepatitis A symptoms and follow reporting requirements to the local health department, which may trigger customer notification protocols if exposure occurred during infectious periods.

Temperature Control and Food Handling Best Practices

While Hepatitis A survives cooking temperatures in some situations, proper food handling minimizes cross-contamination risk. The FDA Food Code—adopted by Indiana—requires hot foods be held at 135°F or above and cold foods at 41°F or below. Hepatitis A is inactivated by heating to 185°F (85°C) for one minute, so thorough cooking of ready-to-eat foods that have been handled by potentially infected employees provides additional protection. Separate raw and ready-to-eat foods using dedicated cutting boards, utensils, and prep surfaces. Purchase produce from verified suppliers and wash all vegetables thoroughly under running water. Monitor and document temperature logs daily, and establish protocols for immediately reporting temperature control failures to your manager and local health department.

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