Which food safety measure is essential for preventing Hepatitis A?

Regularly washing hands is a crucial food safety measure for preventing Hepatitis A. This virus is highly contagious and can be transmitted through the fecal-oral route, often via improper handwashing after using the restroom or handling contaminated food. When food workers maintain proper hand hygiene, including frequent and thorough handwashing, they significantly reduce the risk of spreading the virus to food and, ultimately, to customers.

For effective prevention of Hepatitis A, it is especially important to wash hands after using the restroom, before handling food, and after any activity that may contaminate hands. This practice plays a vital role in creating a safe food preparation environment and protecting public health.

The other measures mentioned, such as purchasing shellfish from approved sources and excluding those with diarrhea, while important in a comprehensive food safety program, do not specifically address the immediate prevention of Hepatitis A transmission in the same direct manner that handwashing does.