For an individual who works in the food and hospitality industries, food safety is, and should, be top of mind. Food safety and the prevention of food-borne illness are critical to customer safety.
When food and beverage handlers think of potential sources of food-borne illness, they are more likely to think about food items like undercooked meat or spoiled dairy products. Thus, it may be surprising to know that ice can also be a source of food-borne illness.
Food-borne illnesses arise from consuming food that is contaminated with dangerous bacteria, viruses or parasites. The symptoms of food-borne illness can range from mild to severe, and in some cases, leading to hospitalization. Food-borne illness is a serious health concern that must not be taken lightly by anyone that works with food.
Ice can become contaminated similarly to food items, and should be treated like a food item when being worked with. Just like food, ice can be contaminated through biological, physical, chemical or cross-contamination. Some examples of contamination include:
These are just some of the ways that ice can be contaminated.
In order to keep ice safe for customers and prevent contamination, follow these rules for safely handling ice:
How to safely handle ice is just one of the food safety measures that all Food Handlers should know. Anyone who works with food should be trained thoroughly in food safety, in order to prevent contamination and food-borne illness incidents. Keeping food safe for consumption is key to running a successful and lawful food business.
The Canadian Institute of Food Safety is a trusted provider of the nationally recognized Food Handler Certification Course.