Hand sanitiser is an antimicrobial liquid or gel — usually based on ethanol or isopropanol at 60–80% concentration — that disinfects the hands without soap, water, or rinsing. Rubbed over all hand surfaces until dry, it kills most bacteria and enveloped viruses within seconds by denaturing their proteins. It became a fixture of public life during the COVID-19 pandemic, but in food handling its role is strictly supplementary: sanitisers do not remove dirt, grease, or norovirus reliably, and they never replace proper handwashing with soap and water before handling food. Food businesses use them as an extra barrier after washing, not instead of it — and formulations for food areas must be food-safe and non-tainting.