This is just gross…
ABC News (Feb. 20) – Jasmine Roberts never expected her award-winning middle school science project to get so much attention. But the project produced some disturbing results: 70 percent of the time, ice from fast food restaurants was dirtier than toilet water.
The 12-year-old collected ice samples from five restaurants in South Florida — from both self-serve machines inside the restaurant and from drive-thru windows. She then collected toilet water samples from the same restaurants and tested all of them for bacteria at the University of South Florida.
In several cases, the ice tested positive for E. coli bacteria, which comes from human waste and has been linked to several illness outbreaks across the country.
“These [bacteria] don’t belong there,” said Dr. David Katz, medical contributor to “Good Morning America.” “It’s not cause for panic, although it is alarming because what she found is nothing new. You’re not more likely to get sick now. But she’s done us a favor by sounding the alarm.”
Both Roberts and Katz said 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.Your dog is laughing at you…
[H/T: Newslinker]
I knew that, it’s why I never take chances in restaurants and always get my water from their toilets.
And yet, they always recall the beef when people come down with E. Coli infections after eating at a certain restaurant.
“No ice” is going to be a phrase heard a lot around restaurants for a while now.
I’ve been ahead of the curve on this one for years. I alway’s say “No ice” at eateries because I like the flavour of my drinks to remain constant. Chilled glass aye, ice nay.
Never really understood why my dogs liked toilet water, now I know.
Hmmm, great news, just as I leave for lunch.
Uhhhg, A large Diet Coke please, Sans Ice!
My wife and I always got strange looks from the wait staff when we ordered out sodas without ice, even on hot days (we disliked how the melting ice diluted the flavor, and sometimes the local water was just nasty tasting). Now our daughters have picked it up.
Good to know we are justified in this fetish. :}
Of coure, similar tests have shown that most people’s computer desks also have more bacteria than toilets, so don’t get too cocky…
Oh, don’t bacilli.
It’s something that someone might want to study. However taking the conclusion of one study even that of a 12 year old as the gospel truth isn’t very scientific.
I’ve never been wild about ice in my drinks because it dilutes whatever I’m having, so I usually ask for no ice. Somehow that decision seems even more beneficial now.
Not really about the ice.
Never buy a soda at a convenience store in a can. Buy the soda or water in a bottle with the large screw off cap. Seen too much booger-type substances plastered on top of those flats cans.
Cheers…
Buddy of mine did a similar study on the mints in restaurants. Ick.
But cirby is right: many items we commonly touch are crawling with bacteria.
But, maybe I WILL take a pass on ice in my drinks from now on…
“And yet, they always recall the beef when people come down with E. Coli infections after eating at a certain restaurant.”
Well, there are different strains of E Coli. There’s the run of the mill E Coli that’s currently having a great time in your lower intestine. You need those guys….
Then there’s the E. coli o157:h7. That’s the stuff that the beef recalls are all about…..
It’s a TAD more dangerous…….
Interestingly, there was no indication of the concentration of the E Coli. I’m pretty sure that makes a difference since bacteria are everywhere.
I bet if you toss a urinal cake into the ice machine, you’ll fix some of the problems……
…MMMMM….my Coke is a tad minty…..
Cue:
“There’s slime in the ice machine!
This is Marvin Zindler, Eyewitness News!!”
Whiskey kills the e.coli germs in the ice.
Hey J, how do you know the cakes are minty?
Take it from someone who’s done his share of Public Health inspections, ice machines area common problem. But for you soft drink junkies who think you are safe filling your drinks without ice, picture this:
Under the nozzle for most soft drink dispensers is an area that is “supposed” to be cleaned, but often isn’t. It collects all sorts of nasty stuff that will grow more than E coli. Look at the tables, the floor and counters. If they are not spotless, I can guarantee the hidden areas of the dispenser will make a gas station toilet look pristine. If the visible surfaces are clean, I still bet heavily on there being nasty goop in the hidden ones.
I haven’t thought of Marvin Zindler in years. Is he still on TV down in Houston?
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