Which of the following best describes the effect of food handlers who scrub their hands thoroughly before preparing food?

• A. They completely eliminate all resident skin flora.
• B. They sterilize their hands, making them free of all microbes.
• C. They significantly reduce the number of transient microorganisms on their skin.
• D. They increase the risk of foodborne illness.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the difference between resident and transient skin flora: Resident flora are microorganisms that normally live on the skin and are relatively stable, while transient flora are microbes picked up from the environment and are more easily removed.
2. Recognize that thorough scrubbing of hands primarily targets transient microorganisms, which are more likely to include pathogens that can cause foodborne illness.
3. Know that scrubbing hands does not sterilize the skin because resident flora are deeply embedded in the skin layers and cannot be completely removed by washing alone.
4. Realize that reducing transient microorganisms lowers the risk of contaminating food and thus decreases the chance of foodborne illness.
5. Conclude that the best description of the effect of thorough hand scrubbing by food handlers is that it significantly reduces the number of transient microorganisms on their skin.