Day 008 - 07 Jul 94 - Page 21


     
     1        with unclean hands.
 
     2        The result is that dishes are frequently contaminated with
              micro organisms -- bacteria and viruses -- which can cause
     3        illness.  Last year a study was made of disposables and
              reusables at the point of use in restaurants, hospitals,
     4        schools, hotels and day care centers".  Is he there
              referring, do you think, to the Fairfax County Study?
     5        A.  Yes.
 
     6   Q.  "The disposable cups, plates and cutlery were found to have
              an average of 2 bacteria per utensil. (The standard set by
     7        the National Academy of Sciences is 100)".  So they were 2
              per cent of the maximum allowed, is that correct?
     8        A.  That is correct.
 
     9   Q.  "The reusables were found with an average of 410 bacteria
              per utensil.  And that's not counting a number of utensils
    10        which were so grossly contaminated that the bacteria were
              too numerous to count and so could not be included in the
    11        study.
 
    12        The dishwashers in use in the establishments were found --
              in 48% of the cases -- to be inadequate to sanitize the
    13        dishes because they were in disrepair, were not
              functioning properly, or were too dirty to use.
    14
              In a national survey conducted in 1974, FDA found" - that
    15        is the Federal Department of Agriculture, is it?
              A.  Food and Drug Administration.
    16
         Q.   Sorry, yes, "...  found the same conditions to exist among
    17        185 restaurants surveyed -- 50% of the dishwashing
              machines were not sanitizing properly.
    18
              Health officials Favor Disposables.  Most public health
    19        officials do not wish to see restrictions placed on the
              use of disposables.  Last year, in a survey of the top
    20        food officials of the 50 states and 50 large local health
              departments, 99% said they saw disposables contributing to
    21        disease prevention and sanitation.
 
    22        Fifty-six per cent said the disease prevention benefit of
              disposables outweighs the solid waste disadvantage; 20%
    23        said they were about equal; only 13% saw the solid waste
              disadvantage to outweigh the public health benefits.
    24
              The International Association of Milk, Food and
    25        Environmental Sanitarians, a major professional society
              representing federal, state and local public health 
    26        officials in the U.S. and Canada, last year approved a 
              policy statement on disposables for foodservice and 
    27        packaging which concludes
 
    28        'IAMFES affirms that single service products contribute
              significantly to sanitation in foodservice and packaging
    29        and constitute an essential element of preventing
              foodborne disease ...[and] views the strategy of
    30        minimizing the use of single service in order to alleviate
              the solid waste and environment/index.html">litter problems as a regressive step

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