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Ice is grosser than water

Posted 06.29.2006 by GottaGoGirl
Jasmine Roberts never expected her award-winning middle school science project to get so much attention. But the ice project produced some disturbing results: 70 percent of the time, ice from fast food restaurants was dirtier than toilet water. Jasmine, age 12, collected ice samples from five restaurants in South Florida, from both self-serve machines inside the restaurant and from drive-thru windows. Everything was transported in sterile containers. She then collected toilet water samples from the same restaurants, and had them all tested for bacteria at the University of South Florida. In several cases, the ice tested positive for E. coli bacteria, which only comes from human feces and has been linked to several illness outbreaks across the country. Jasmine hypothesizes that the ice is likely dirtier because machines aren't cleaned, and people use unwashed hands to scoop ice. Toilet water is also surprisingly bacteria-free, because it comes from sanitized city water supplies.

In the wake of Jasmine's story making national news, an Orlando news station ran an experiment of it's own. Local 6 News collected ice samples from five different area fast food restaurants. At a McDonald's restaurant, a hidden camera caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a filthy nozzle on the ice dispenser, the report said. There appeared to be nothing unusual at a Burger King on state Road 436 in Apopka, or at a Taco Bell on Highway 17-92. At an Arby's restaurant in Orlando and a Wendy's in Winter Park, Fla., there were no automatic ice dispensers, just employees with a scoop.

Local 6 News turned over samples of ice from the restaurants to Flowers Chemical Laboratories for testing. "We tested for total coliform," Jeff Flowers said. "Total coliform is associated with man. We test for this organism because we know if we found it, we found the presence of man." Flowers said it is a common misconception that bacteria can't grow on ice because it's so cold.

"Bacteria can lay on the ice and infect you later and that's why there are standards to control the level of bacteria that's acceptable," Flowers said. However, lab results showed four out of five samples taken from the restaurants turned out to be clean ice. However, one showed high levels of bacteria—an ice sample taken at the Arby's located on Lee Road in Orlando. "We found seven colonies instead of the [only] one that we wanted to," Flowers said. "So we found seven times as much as should be there."

The manager at the Arby's restaurant would not talk to Local 6 News about the result. The Arby's restaurant does not have an automatic ice dispenser, and Flowers said that could have made all of the difference. "When you use the scoop, there's a chance that somebody's sick and they use that scoop, now that's going to be present," Flowers said.

This Poop Reporter has seen fast food workers come out to the dining room beverage machine carrying a handled bucket full of ice. They will be carrying a stepstool with the other hand. They will then proceed to step up on top of the stool, flip open the ice dispenser, and dump the bucket of ice into the top of the machine. There are WAY too many variables here, for me. The employee's hands, the machine that made the ice somewhere back in the bowels of the store; these are both potential hazards, to say nothing of the cleanliness of the bucket itself. Who knows if it was just holding mop water?

What do Poop Reporters think? Does anyone check, before ordering a drink, whether the ice is dispensed by hand or from a machine? Has anyone here ever HAD an E.coli infection? Is it worth the risk? What other factors could there be for ice harboring dangerous bacteria?

Think about this: ALL the stories we have about getting sick after eating fast FOOD.....maybe it's not the food, after all. Maybe it's the fast food ICE!

Show some poop support, or make a poop retort.
Hu Flung Dung (89) -- 06.29.2006

Here in Houston, there was a reporter for a local news show named Marvin Zindler. Every Sunday night, I believe, for many years, he did a piece called "Slime in the Ice Machine". Since early childhood, I've always asked for my drink without ice. And coincidentally, I've never had any food poisoning from a fast food joint.

Good investigative report,
Hu

Double Flush (602) -- 06.29.2006

Finally, this long-awaited story awaits my comments!

First, let me say you did a great job on this. It's extremely interesting, and it's original too. While I've seen some really nasty things at fast food places, never would I have suspected the ice machine to be one of them, other than a certain one that was filthy on the outside.

I usually get drinks without ice. At a soda fountain, the stuff is mixed with cold water anyway, so it's already cold when it comes out.

_______
"Double the flush, double the fun" --The Amazing Anus

krzyzewskifan (55) -- 06.29.2006

I say get the ice, and then after you get the shits, write a funny story for me to comment about.

good job, ggg


_______
I poop because I am...I am because I poop.

Nine Inch Log (358) -- 06.29.2006

I work at a fast food joint (well, sort of, I work at a sandwich shop right next to campus) and I would be hard pressed to believe that our ice is dirty. Perhaps we take better care of our supplies than other fast food resturants. (i.e. use a freshly washed bucket to scoop the ice and transport it to the ice dispencer). Then again, that's probably the big difference between hiring 16 yr old high school kids as opposed to college seniors.

I've never had a problem with ice. Ajus sauce, well that's a different story, and one I hope to post soon.

_______
Number One . . . I order you to take a number two.

Thunderbox (838) -- 06.29.2006

As someone who`s travelled the world, I can tell you that the things that cause the shits for inexperienced guys are drinks with ice in them. As stated due to fecal coliforms and the like. Then yogurt or ice cream. Same kind of problems.

Strangely, however, most cases of the shits aren`t contracted by backpackers, or folk travelling on the cheap, but by more affluent people in better class hotels eating the buffets. These are laden with food lying for ages, possibly overnight which get ridden with bugs over the long period they`re standing on offer.

Best bet I`ve always found is eat at a street stall that cooks food on demand. The heat kills the bugs. That and a few beers.

Thunderbox`s lesson for the day.

daphne (3609) -- 06.29.2006

Two things; did this little girl have poop on HER hands?(jk) Did she come from a lower income area than the area the news stations tested?(nk)

Come to think of it, there's no reason that any restaurant shouldn't empty the ice machine and wipe it down.

_______
.....hugging bunnies since 1969
www.daphneszoo.com

grinchygut (17) -- 06.29.2006

Last weekend, I ate at a restaurant in Paducah, and one of my ice cube had a little green fruit fly frozen in it. Not much will truly gross me out, so I continued to drink my beverage. After reading this and the countless reports of bad food in restaurants, I may soon be convinced to avoid eating out ever again. Perhaps I shall hire a personal chef...

_______
"I know I shit a lot, but I'm only one man!" - Uncle Cleidus when informed that his new septic tank was clogged.

GottaGoGirl (2616) -- 06.30.2006

Good question, Daphne. Here's some follow-up info:

"...Roberts set out to test her hypothesis, selecting five fast food restaurants, within a ten-mile radius of the University of South Florida.

Roberts says at each restaurant she flushed the toilet once, then used sterile gloves to gather samples.

Jasmine Roberts:
"Using the sterile beaker I scooped up some water and closed the lid."

Roberts also collected ice from soda fountains inside the five fast food restaurants. She also asked for cups of ice at the same restaurant's drive thru windows.

She tested the samples at a lab at the Moffitt Cancer Center where she volunteers with a USF professor. Roberts says the results did not surprise her.

Jasmine Roberts:
"I found that 70-percent of the time, the ice from the fast food restaurant's contain more bacteria than the fast food restaurant's toilet water."

I think the kid was pretty careful and thorough.

The Dumpster (2506) -- 06.30.2006

The whole concept of restaurant cleanliness is one that, if you investigate too heavily, you will never eat out again.

There are some things in this world you are just better off not knowing.

Good story, GGG, as usual.

_______
Send all your money to Bilgepump, or to Dave!

Lame comment! -1 point
Poopgirl (77) -- 06.30.2006


I think that you should lay off the ice at fast food places, instead of the food.
Poop on!

-Poopgirl

KeepOnCrappin (550) -- 06.30.2006

Holy Shit! As soon as I read this that is what I said out loud. I will never have ice in my drink again. And yes, I have seen the employees with the ice buckets.

Yes I am back.

_______
"KOC -- the Cool Crapper" - Rat Droppings

Eaglenation (8) -- 07.01.2006

Not only that KeepOn, but do you ever notice HOW MUCH ice they put in your cup??? its not just 6 or 7 cubes. They fill it like 2/3rds of the way full with ice. As if it isn't already cold. And even if it isn't as cold as you would like, wouldnt just a few cubes suffice?? Do we need 80 ice cubes in a cup?

Double Flush (602) -- 07.01.2006

Though the beverages are dirt cheap to the restaurant, I think they are just being stingy with them. I usually request not to have ice in mine and I get a lot more to drink that way.

Also, at sime restaurants, look at your cup. Some have a line on them that supposedly is a level to fill the cup with ice to.

_______
"Double the flush, double the fun" --The Amazing Anus

GottaGoGirl (2616) -- 07.01.2006

It's no secret that the beverages are a money maker. But it's a better deal for the consumer where the restaurant has an all-you-can-drink beverage bar. Most fast food places here in CA have serve-yourself beverages, so the "get as much as you can" factor is mitigated.

Double Flush (602) -- 07.01.2006

Yep, GGG. Buy the small size and get more exercise as you go and refill your cup. Most restaurants I go to have the self-serve as well.

_______
"Double the flush, double the fun" --The Amazing Anus

sharty mcfly (211) -- 07.02.2006

when i am in control of my own soda, i get three cubes, no more no less, but at this point i'll go to exactly none. and the three cubes is an ocd thing i can't explain. buut i don't beleive i have ever ha da gastro intestinal problem related to ice, but i could be wrong. as far as the size, usually i'm on my way back to work and i can't get my money out of the small sizes so i go with the big size and deal with it.

KeepOnCrappin (550) -- 07.07.2006

I collect plastic cups (the large size ones--pic here and half the time they fill them 90% of the way with ice.

At self-serve machines I used to get about 10 cubes, but not anymore.

_______
"KOC -- the Cool Crapper" - Rat Droppings

Lame comment!
Kurt B Verplunger (not verified) -- 07.07.2006

Ve do not tolerate zis kind of shit in my country.

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