Commercial dishwashing in the corona pandemic

Published at 23.04.2021

April 2021 - The AK GGS has published a new information leaflet on commercial dishwashing in the corona pandemic. Commercial dishwashing for the proper preparation of washware makes many demands on everyone involved, not only in the pandemic. The general kitchen hygiene rules of conduct must therefore be observed. The right to hygienically perfect crockery and cutlery for every meal participant in the catering trade, hotel industry, canteens, rest stops, old people's and nursing homes, hospitals, etc. continues to apply. The information leaflet can be downloaded here as a PDF document.

The AK GGS, consisting of manufacturers of cleaning agents, commercial dishwashers and dosing devices, washware and the associated supplier industry from all over Germany, would like to use its new knowledge to provide information about the most important parameters for hygienically perfect washware during the corona pandemic. In the care area for patients with proven infections, special reference is made to transport, correct hand hygiene and surface disinfection in the vicinity of the dishwashers. Details are given in the information leaflet. The information leaflet is also devoted to the question of whether automatic or manual flushing is more recommended in the pandemic situation in order to inactivate the corona virus as best as possible. For this purpose, various studies and tests are discussed in detail. The experts at AK GGS, supported by the statements of the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), come to the conclusion that, in the context of the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, automatic dishwashing compared to manual washing due to a standardized process, higher temperatures, a constant Mechanics and a constant detergent dosage is preferable.

"According to the information from the German Robert Koch Institute (RKI) and the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), there is no risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission if the parameters of the usual automatic dishwashing process are adhered to. The SARS-CoV-2 reacts particularly sensitively to the high temperatures of 60 ° C and higher as well as to the highly concentrated cleaning agents. ", Explains Dr. Britta von Esmarch-Rummler (Miele), chairwoman of the working group.

Her deputy Mareike Lohmann (Chemische Fabrik Dr. Weigert) adds: “The AKGGS emphasizes that the SARS-CoV-2 virus is actually an“ ordinary ”enveloped virus, for which the same hygiene requirements as everyone else enveloped viruses, such as flu viruses (influenza), mumps or measles apply. The applicable hygiene requirements are given by the norms and standards already specified in the field of commercial dishwashing. These are now clearly listed in the new information leaflet. "