Project start: 01.01.2023
Project end: 30.06.2024

In various areas branches of horticulture and also in the food industry, efficient cleaning and disinfection of shoe and boot soles, both in the entrance area and between different departments, is considered an important hygiene measure. Hygiene sluices are available for this purpose, among others, which consist of a combination of hand disinfection and shoe sole cleaning. So far, there are very few well-founded study results on the effectiveness of such devices. Therefore, the project will determine whether a commercially available hygiene sluice has sufficient cleaning and disinfection performance and which parameters are responsible for this. In this context, a standardised test procedure for the validation of hygiene sluices will first be developed. Since previously used inoculation methods did not correspond to the usual soiling in horticultural work areas, a standard soiling is being developed that takes these conditions into account and with which specific practical conditions can be simulated by simple variation. This standard soiling will first be tested for its suitability for the contamination of shoe soles. Furthermore, tests will be carried out to optimise the hygiene sluice. The results will be used to develop recommendations as a standard method for manufacturers and users of hygiene sluices, which can contribute significantly to minimising the risk of transmission of relevant microorganisms in the production and processing of vegetables.