Breakthrough Norovirus-effective Formulation Now Commercially Available

The use of Food Code compliant alcohol hand sanitizers in Foodservice has been suppressed for years by relatively low effectiveness on their number one cause of foodborne outbreaks, norovirus. Formulations deploying new synergists potentiate the alcohol base and more than triple its predesessor products' effectiveness. It is more than 10 times more effective than the thin liquid versions. The foodservice market now has a very effective and convenient option which is also skin friendly.

The scientists at GOJO® in collaboration with Dr. Moe at Emory University and Dr. Lee-Ann Jaykus at North Carolina State found ways to improve laboratory testing with this lab-unfriendly "non-enveloped" virus and develop formulations that work.

This first generation product was known commercially as Purell® VF447. It is Food Code compliant and formulated on a base of 70% ethyl alcohol. That version was recently replaced with VF481, known by some as Purell Ultra. It too is Food Code Compliant. Those operators most devastated by norovirus outbreaks, including cruise lines, are among the early adopters.

The innovative research advancements at Emory University resulted in an NSF Leadership Award for their lead scientist, Dr. Christine Moe. She was presented the prestigious award March 18, 2008, at the Food Safety Summit in Washington DC.

Research from both Emory and North Carolina State is summarized on posters avilable below for downloading. For best reading we recommend printing in an 11" x 17" format.

Leadership Companies:

Handwashing for Life^® recommends PURELL® Instant Hand Sanitizer as an effective tool against germs. PURELL® is used worldwide in hospitals, nursing homes, child care centers, schools, and fast food restaurant chains to supplement routine hand washing and to kill germs
that may cause disease.