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With Americans eating out more, researchers
are cautioning that the plates on which commercial meals are
served may become contaminated
with bacteria if they are not allowed to dry properly
before being piled up after washing.
Researchers assessed whether stacking
wet dishes in commercial establishments may contribute to
the growth of harmful bacteria on plate surfaces. According
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are
an estimated 75 million
cases of foodborne illnesses reported each year in the US.
The researchers first identified bacteria
on 100 dishes (prior to washing) that had been used to serve
meals to patients at a medical center. They then put half
the plates through a full cycle of a dishwasher, stacking
the plates after placing small amounts of water on each dish
surface. The other 50 plates were machine-washed and then
allowed to air dry for 24 hours.
Twenty-four hours after washing, the
investigators found no apparent difference in bacterial growth
between those stacked wet and those fully air-dried. However,
after 48 hours a significantly
higher amount of various bacteria were evident on the wet-stacked
dishes.
Although the researchers did not determine
exactly what types of bacteria had grown on the plates, they
conclude that there is a risk
of bacterial growth and food contamination if
dishes are stacked wet after being run through
an improperly working dishwasher or insufficiently dried after
being hand washed.
Food safety and sanitation are of interest
to consumers today because of mad cow disease, contaminated
water supplies, overuse of antibiotics, the public eating
outside the home more often. This time-temperature-moisture
problem sets up an ideal environment for microbial growth.
The Food and Drug Administration code
specifically recommends
air drying of all commercial dishware in order
to prevent such food contamination problems. And she stressed
that consumers and food-preparers should pay attention not
just to what they eat but to whether or not what they eat
is safely prepared.
Journal
of the American Dietetic Association August 2001;101:933-934
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