Ice, which is served in drinks in restaurants and fast-food cafes in the UK, contains much more pathogens and bacteria than water in the toilet of these establishments.
On behalf of the government, scientists made samples of water and ice taken at several locations in Nandos, Burger King, McDonalds, Cafe Rouge and KFC, located in several British cities. Tests conducted in the laboratory showed that the water from the toilets contains less bacteria than the ice that customers offer to drinks. The fact is, scientists explain that in such establishments ice machines are cleaned much less frequently than toilets. The tests did not reveal a direct danger to people, however, an increased number of harmful microorganisms in ice can be regarded as a “hygienic risk”.
The sad first place for "pollution" went to the Nandos eatery. The melted ice from this establishment contained 2 thousand microbes per milliliter of liquid. For comparison: doctors recommend the content - a maximum of a thousand per milliliter. The ice taken in McDonalds contained 1.4 thousand microorganisms, in KFC - 1.1 thousand.
The researchers called ice from Nandos, McDonalds, Burger King and KFC "hygienically bad." Dr. Melody Greenwood, who used to run the British Health Agency, said tests showed a very unpleasant tendency: restaurants do not teach their employees how to use ice machines properly.
It is interesting that ice samples in the popular Pizza Hut restaurant were within normal limits, and the toilet water, to the scientists' surprise, showed indicators that exceeded the standards for ordinary drinking water.
The final results of the study were presented to official representatives of restaurant chains. According to scientists, all institutions, with the exception of two companies that protested the test results, have taken adequate measures to strengthen hygiene.
