Many Australians admit that they don’t always wash their hands after going to the toilet or before handling food, new research by the Food Safety Information Council has revealed.

Council communication director, Lydia Buchtmann, said good handwashing, using running water, soap, and drying hands thoroughly is a basic public health message that people seem to be forgetting.

The research, which was conducted nationally online over the period August 25-30, 2022, among a sample of 1254 people aged 18 years and over, found that 18 per cent of Australians say they don’t always wash their hands after going to the toilet and 47 per cent admit they don’t always wash before touching food.

“Food Standards Australia New Zealand has recently released a report on the Annual Cost of Foodborne Disease in Australia by the Australian National University which found there are an estimated 4.67 million cases of food poisoning in Australia each year that result in 47,900 hospitalisations, 38 deaths and cost the economy $2.1 billion. Poor handwashing could be a major contribution to these figures,” Buchtmann said.

The study also highlighted gender differences as men were less likely than women to always wash their hands after going to the toilet (80 per cent of men versus 84 per cent of women) and before touching food (52 per cent of men versus 62 per cent of women).

Young people were less likely than older age groups to always wash their hands after going to the toilet (74 per cent under 34 years versus 86 per cent over 50 years) and before touching food (51 per cent under 34 versus 58 per cent over 50).

Poor handwashing knowledge among young people is also a concern as they often become professional food handlers.

The Food Safety Information Council recommends washing and drying hands before handling, preparing and eating food; after touching raw meat, fish, eggs or poultry; after using the toilet or attending to children’s toileting or changing nappies; and after sneezing, coughing, touching pets or gardening.

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