Cali Heat: State Holdout on New Hand-Washing Temps
While federal health officials are cooling things down at the kitchen sink, California food workers might want to keep their thermometers handy. A growing gap between federal guidelines and state enforcement is creating a “lukewarm” reception for new hand-washing regulations.
For years, food safety instructors have taught the FDA Food Code as the gold standard for passing certification exams. However, a significant discrepancy has emerged regarding how hot your scrub-down needs to be. In 2022, the FDA officially lowered the minimum hand-washing water temperature to 85°F. The move was designed to align with the Uniform Plumbing Code and, more importantly, to keep employees scrubbing. Experts found that when water exceeds 100°F, workers often find it uncomfortably hot, leading to rushed jobs or skipped washes. New research suggests that the temperature of the water is actually secondary to three critical factors: 1) Soap application, 2) Friction (scrubbing), and 3) Duration (the length of the wash).
Despite the federal shift, California’s CAL Code is sticking to its traditional, stricter standards. The state currently maintains a legacy requirement of at least 100°F. Because individual states must formally adopt FDA changes before they become law, California health inspectors are still enforcing the higher heat. Until the state legislature officially adopts the revised FDA updates, California kitchens remain in a regulatory “gray area”— teaching one standard for the national exam while practicing another to pass local inspections.
