In The Ice Machine:" How
To Prevent Ice Contamination
how this one little phrase speaks volumes about the cleanliness
(or lack thereof) of some of Houston's food establishments.
Most people think this sentence is the best part of the evening
news; it keeps them smiling. If your restaurant is mentioned
while this phrase is flashed across the television screen, well,
it's not quite a laughing matter.
is slime? It is a type of mold or fungus that accumulates from
bacterial growth on surfaces that are constantly exposed to
clinging water droplets and warm temperatures. Water residuals
may be present on these surfaces due to machine construction
or the presence of scouring utensils such as steel wool or scouring
pads. If the residuals are left exposed and not wiped clean
or the machine is not sanitized regularly, you will then see
bacteria and mold growths in the moist, cool environment of
your ice machine. Most times, slime will take on a pinkish tone;
if left untreated, the pink will turn to red, green, brown and
even black ropes of slime hanging from the freezer panels inside
the machine after a while. Pretty picture, isn't it?
exactly cause foodborne illness, but it can cause the ice to
have an objectionable taste or odor. Imagine what would happen
if one of your customers happens to get a slimy green ice cube
in their iced tea -- just don't try telling them that it's St.
Patrick's Day in December. More than likely, you'd wind up losing
valuable customers at your establishment. People who have sensitive
immune systems (such as infants, elderly persons and people
with immune deficiencies) are most at risk to diseases passed
on through the pathogens found in contaminated ice and other
foods, so it's no joke to have slime in the ice machine.
To prevent any
potentially embarrassing situations, try keeping the ice machine
interior surfaces clean and sanitized using an approved sanitizer
as often as twice a week. Take a clean cloth or paper towel,
and wipe the condensation from the ice machine surfaces not
scoured by ice or water. Follow by wiping the same surface with
a clean cloth that moistened with an approved sanitizer and
then wrung dry so that it will not drip.
is a popular and cost-effective sanitizer, it is not safe to
use on stainless steel parts. In fact, the chlorine in the bleach
reacts with the nickel in the stainless steel, so be careful.
The best sanitizer to use is quaternary ammonium (QAC) at 200
parts per million; QAC's have a residual effect which lingers
well in ice machines. This chemical should be readily available
from your chemical supplier.
on the ice machine, make sure that your bar guns and soda nozzles
are also cleaned, washed and sanitized at the end of the day.
Slime can and often will linger in hoses and nozzles that are
exposed to moisture and microbes.
By taking the
necessary steps for sanitization, you can rest assured that
your establishment will not suffer the humiliation of being
on the Friday night report as a victim of "slime in the
more information on this or any other subject, please contact
the Bureau of Consumer Health Services at 713-794-9200.
to the Food Safety health tips page
the HDHHS Bureau of Consumer Health Services