Manually washing dishes can be a problem.
The FDA recommends washing dishes in 100 degree fahrenheit water (as the minimum temperature), but that can be so uncomfortably hot for employees that it becomes difficult to get dishes thoroughly clean. As a result, employees tend to use cooler water that is more comfortable for them. However, can cooler water leave dishes vulnerable to developing bacteria that could later infect diners in the restaurant?
Researchers from Ohio State University examined this problem and determined that it is possible to properly wash dishes at a cooler, more comfortable temperature. Dishes that were washed with warm water at room temperature and then soaked in a sanitizing solution were declared clean by standards set by the FDA. To compensate for the cooler temperature, a more concentrated sanitizer was used, and effectively killed most of the bacteria left on the plates. Restaurant employees can breathe a sigh of relief knowing it is unnecessary to sacrifice comfort for cleanliness.
To learn more about the study and discover what other interesting findings were made, visit http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/dishwash.htm