Food safety experts have revealed the biggest red flags facing fast-food restaurants amid a deadly bacteria outbreak.
This week, fast-food giant McDonald’s came under fire when 75 people in 13 states fell ill with E. coli, a bacterial infection that kills up to one in five patients, after eating the chain’s Quarter Pounder.
Of those, 22 have been hospitalized and one elderly man in Colorado has died from the infection. Two others are fighting for their lives due to serious kidney injuries resulting from their infections
Health officials have suggested that the widespread illness could be due to the chopped onions on the burger, which come from about one in five U.S. McDonald’s locations, as well as other chains such as Burger King.
As the outbreak unfolds, experts have warned to remain vigilant against unsanitary practices at fast-food restaurants that could increase the risk of getting sick.
As a deadly E coli outbreak has been linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders (pictured here), food safety experts revealed the red flags of their fast food restaurants
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Mitzi Baum, CEO of non-profit organization Stop Foodborne Illness, told DailyMail.com: ‘From the farms that grow ingredients to the restaurants that serve you food, every partner in the food chain must prioritize food safety to prevent these outbreaks.’
Dr. Shanina Knighton, an associate professor at Case Western Reserve University, said she avoids restaurants that serve food in front of you, with Chipotle and Sweetgreen being two of the most popular examples.
She told DailyMail.com: ‘Personally, I avoid restaurants that use a build-and-serve model, where employees assemble meals or bowls for customers.
‘In these setups, I’ve seen workers switch between tasks – handling utensils, touching food and operating machines or cash registers – without washing their hands and changing their gloves.
“They often place orders, process credit cards and touch payment screens, creating numerous opportunities for cross-contamination.”
Dr. Knighton also noted that hand sanitizers can be placed too close to food preparation areas or registers, increasing the risk of harmful chemicals contaminating food.
Chipotle in particular made headlines when more than 1,110 people became ill from norovirus, the most common form of food poisoning, between 2015 and 2018.
The outbreak was traced to the ‘adulteration’ of the chain’s food, which involved adding undeclared ingredients to reduce costs and improve appearance.
Also in 2015, 55 people in 11 states became ill and 22 people were hospitalized due to E. coli from the fast-mexican chain, although the exact cause was never found.
And recent data from Iwaspoisoned.com, which collects food poisoning reports, found that based on self-reporting, Sweetgreen was associated with an 11 times greater risk of illness compared to the average risk.
Dr. Knighton also recommended paying attention to the way fast food workers handle condiments.
She said: ‘Pre-packed condiments should never come into contact with food as they are often stored in boxes or placed on surfaces that may not have been disinfected.
‘If the packaging comes into contact with food, it can contain contaminants.
‘Dirty or unswept floors are also a warning sign, indicating poor cleaning practices that can extend to food preparation areas.’
And if employees are spending a lot of time on their phones, it might be best to take your business elsewhere.
Dr. Knighton added: ‘Phones are known to be ten times dirtier than a toilet seat and can harbor dangerous bacteria such as E. coli. If employees do not wash their hands after using their phones, there is a serious risk of contamination.’
She said even wearing artificial nails can pose problems because they can snag or tear on gloves, making them less effective.
Ms. Baum also suggests paying attention to employees who touch their hair or phone without washing their hands, and checking to make sure the front door looks clean.
Dr. Darin Detwiler, a food safety expert at Northeastern University in Boston, previously told DailyMail.com that he checks the bathroom in every restaurant before eating.
He said, “If they’re serious about sanitation, that’s a spot that shows you the restaurant is clean.”
Dr. Detwiler looks for signs of a neglected restroom, such as dirty toilets, lack of paper towels and dirty countertops.
A 2018 Harris Poll found that two-thirds of American customers would avoid a restaurant if reviews mentioned toilet odor, and 63 percent said they would avoid it if they knew clogged toilets were a common occurrence.
Dr. Shanina Knighton, an associate professor at Case Western Reserve University, said she avoids restaurants where employees prepare food in front of customers, such as Chipotle, because of cross-contamination.
“I have literally walked out of restaurants even though I was hungry and wanted to eat there because their bathroom was so disgusting,” Dr. Detwiler said.
“I don’t even want to know what’s going on in the kitchen.”
To reduce the risk of foodborne illness, Dr. Knighton suggested avoiding “high-risk items such as raw vegetables or undercooked meats, and don’t hesitate to leave if you notice unsanitary conditions – such as dirty floors, poorly managed condiments or workers with artificial nails that compromise the effectiveness of the gloves.’
Toby Amidor, nutritionist in New York and author of Health recordingstold DailyMail.com: ‘If you walk into an eatery and see lots of flies or bugs, a big mess in the back, no washing of hands or wearing gloves, employees working when they are sick – basically a combination of these bad practices – that can give you some provide insight into how (the restaurant) views food safety practices.
‘Regarding cross-contamination, always use separate cutting boards, surfaces and utensils to prepare raw meat and cooked foods such as raw versus cooked burgers or raw burgers and fresh fruit.’
And in the midst of an outbreak, Ms Amidor said: ‘There’s also nothing wrong with doing a little home cooking if you’re unsure about food safety until the problem is resolved.’