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
