The 10 ways to avoid food germs during this season of festivities are great tips about food areas prone to germs. It’s the Christmas and New Year season, with many office parties, outdoor parties, beach parties, dinner parties, and more. However, with parties come the risks of food-borne disease, which can make you sick. So read on about 10 ways to avoid food germs this season.
Guard Against Germs
It’s ok to be a detective particularly when checking the health status of a restaurant you want to dine in. No matter how spectacular the restaurant is, there is the possibility of coming into contact with a few unhealthy germs there. So it’s a good idea to be aware of how to look out for them and how you guard against them.
Menu Cards
Occasionally simple menu cards or leaflets thrown on tabletops hide most germs. Research has shown that traces of E. coli and S. aureus (staph) can be found on menus because they are picked and passed to different people. Plastic menus are not better than paper menus particularly when they get wet. Since they can’t absorb water, it stays there until it dries off giving bacteria plenty of time to grow.
The solution is to wash your hands after handling a menu, or clean them with a sanitized tissue before you eat anything. These two hygiene tips can help prevent the spread of germs.
Touch Screens
A study found traces of E. faecalis and staph cause infections on some touch screens at several restaurants. Although touch screens can make orders faster and easier, also pick up germs faster. So a better option is to deal with the line at the counter.
Ice cubes
Bacteria can thrive in water, so it makes sense to find them in ice. A study of ice taken from bars and restaurants found several types of bacteria that can cause infections, but not at high enough levels to do so.
Interestingly, in another study, scientists contaminated ice cubes with four types of bacteria and used them in drinks like vodka, whiskey, gin, peach tea, tonic water, and soda. All the drinks had live bacteria except the whiskey.
Fruits and veggie slices
Fruits and veggies sliced to garnish drinks may look delicious and colorful but those tiny pieces can spread germs. The most popular is lemon slices which may look pretty but can spread bacteria. In tests, 70% of samples had organisms on them, some as many as 25. If you have diabetes, have kidney failure, or get chemotherapy you are more likely to be affected by them.
The best way to avoid stomach aches is to ensure your servers use tongs or gloves to garnish your drinks.
Food Buffets
Laid-out food buffets, hot and cold, are great places for hidden germs to thrive. You can follow these tips to protect yourself and others:
- Don’t eat when on the buffet line.
- Get your partner to fill your plate if not feeling well.
- Look for a “sneeze guard”, the little glass windows above the food. They help keep germs away.
- Step away from the food before you sneeze
- Be sure the meat served hot is under heat lamps or on a heated surface, and cold meats are on ice.
- Be sure cold salads are served cold and fresh
- If you desire seconds, use a new plate and new utensils.
- Don’t use the same utensils on different foods when serving yourself
Salad Bars
As with a food buffet, salad bars can be a friendly home for germs. Make sure cold foods are kept cold. Ensure freshness and crispness of vegetables and fruits. Sneeze guards can be helpful here too, and you should use fresh utensils and a fresh plate if you go for seconds.
Cafeteria Trays
Trays used to carry food are not germ-free. The germs found on cafeteria trays are higher than on bathrooms and gym mats. So be vigilant that your tray is spotlessly clean and free of food fragments and spilled drinks.
Food Condiments
Food condiments like salt, pepper, ketchup, Tobasco, and mustard are meant to add flavor to food but can also add germs. For instance, things touched and passed like bottles and salt shakers can have fecal bacteria like E. coli and coliform.
Therefore, if you have hand sanitizer or a disinfectant wipe, you may want to give those bottles and shakers a wipe before you use them.
Tabletops
You may feel relieved when you see your server wiping down your table surfaces but the bacteria that can cause illness can be found on the dishcloths used to clean tables in a food court. Hence, tabletops tend to be some of the germiest spots in eateries.
So to avoid a mouthful of microbes, make sure your utensils never make direct contact with the table. Also, clean your hands with hand sanitizers.
