Qualitaly_116

APR. MAG. 2020 VII a complete zero infectivity reset increases to at least 48 hours for steel and 72 hours for plastic. The risk, therefore, decreases considerably with the passing of time, but it does not disappear until after a few days of contact with the viruses. Organic contamination, an unavoidable presence on worktops, dishes, utensils, tables, etc. of a restaurant, unfortunately acts to protect the virus and further increase these times. For this reason it is necessary to follow the sanitisation procedures more scrupulously and more frequently, procedures which should already be adopted in a professional kitchen. A STANDARD PROTOCOL FOR SANITATION The A.I.D.P.I. - Associazione Imprese di Disinfestazioni Professionali Italiane (The Association of Italian Professional Pest Control Companies) has issued guidelines for the sanitisation and disinfection of surfaces, which can be a valid standard for the sanitisation of premises and surfaces, in preparation for reopening, or between one shift and another. Since the knowledge about SARS- CoV-2 is still under study, and since not all modes of transmission and resistance in the environment are well known, it is necessary to apply sanitisation systems according to protocols already validated and provided for in the procedures for self-monitoring the premises. Sanitisation must include removal of coarse grime, application of detergent and final rinse. The detergent solution must be prepared at the concentration recommended by the manufacturer on the label or in the technical data sheet, because too diluted a solution is ineffective while one too concentrated is useless and can attack metals. The optimum temperature is about 45-55°C and the contact time can vary from 5 to 20 minutes. Again, the label or datasheet shall apply. The cleaning operations must proceed from top to bottom and finish with the floor. The use of high- pressure water jets should be avoided because the droplets produced remain suspended in the air for a long time (up to 8 hours) and can re-pollute the sanitised surfaces. Which products to use According to current knowledge, the detergents that have proved most effective against Coronavirus are alcohol, chlorine and active oxygen. Alcohol, in the form of ethyl or isopropyl alcohol, is effective against the vegetative forms of bacteria, fungi and viruses. It has no action on bacterial spores. Chlorine is usually used in the form of sodium hypochlorite, i.e. bleach. It has a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity and a low cost, but can leave toxic residues. It also loses its antimicrobial activity in the presence of hard water and organic matter, such as food residues, and is corrosive to metals. As it irritates the mucous membranes, skin and respiratory tract, it should be used in ventilated environments. Active oxygen can be used in the form of hydrogen peroxide (hydrogen peroxide), ozone and peracetic acid. The Ministry of Health, with protocol n°31 of July 1996 24482, has recognised the use of ozone in the treatment of air and water. An ozone treatment could, for example, be evaluated at the time of reopening. In the food industry, peracetic acid is widely used because it has excellent and rapid activity against all microorganisms even in the presence of food residues. PAOLA AT THE VIROLOGIST Videos that testify to the slow return to normal in the city of Wuhan, in China, are spreading on social networks, with restaurants that - respecting the necessary precautions - reopen. What can we expect when “Phase 2” starts in Italy too? How will restaurateurs have to regulate themselves in order to reopen, guaranteeing maximum safety for both customers and employees? We asked Professor Giulio Tarro, internationally renowned virologist and primary emeritus of the “D. Cotugno” hospital in Naples. Professor, firstly I would ask you to clarify one thing: is there any evidence that the Coronavirus can be transmitted through food? Absolutely not. Coronavirus is a respiratory virus that is transmitted through the airways. Foods therefore cannot transmit the virus. But, of course, food, dishes, utensils could carry it if they were handled incorrectly by people who are positive with the virus. All it takes is a cough or a sneeze. The preparation of a dish often requires the use of the hands, what measures can be taken to avoid any risk? The hygiene measures that should already be taken in a professional kitchen should be applied to the highest possible degree, with extra attention to washing hands very frequently or changing gloves very often. You have to behave as a surgeon would do in the operating room: as soon as he touches something, he changes them. Here, every time an employee touches the mouth, nose, eyes, he should immediately wash his hands or change his gloves. And then, of course, masks must always be worn. Do special cleaning procedures have to be carried out for surfaces and equipment? The normal sanitisation procedures that should be adopted in professional kitchens are also suitable to reduce the presence of the virus. It will be ideal to repeat all the procedures more frequently than the protocols already adopted by each kitchen. Let’s not forget that grime incrustations can create a substrate that protects the virus. Ventilation hoods and air conditioning systems should also be sanitised, although it seems that the virus may be less at ease at higher ambient temperatures, such as those often found in professional kitchens. And in the restaurant? Waiters should also wear masks and pay particular attention to hand washing and glove replacement, as well as keeping as much distance as possible when serving. As for the tables, are there any special precautions to be taken? It is always the rule to keep at least a meter between people. The tables should therefore be spaced and their number should be reduced appropriately so as to respect this distance, even by the waiter during the service. How many people can sit at the same table? If they are people living together, then more people can be at the same table. If, on the other hand, it is not a question of cohabitants, then the distance of one metre between the various diners must be maintained, even at each table. Of course, it all needs common sense. In your opinion, can a rough estimate be made on the reopening of the restaurant business? Looking at what is happening in Korea, which has preceded us both as a contagion curve and as measures taken, we should be able to restart activities in May, including catering activities. You will probably have to start first with the larger structures, which have the possibility of spacing the tables, and then move on to the smaller ones. I hope that with the summer we