Food safety experts have revealed the biggest warning signs for 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 an elderly man in Colorado 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 caused by the burger’s chopped onions, which have been removed from about one in five McDonald’s locations in the United States, as well as other chains such as Burger King.
As the outbreak develops, experts have warned to watch for unsanitary practices at fast food places that could increase the risk of getting sick.
As a deadly E coli outbreak has been linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders (pictured), food safety experts revealed the warning signs at its fast food restaurants.
Mitzi Baum, chief executive of the non-profit organization Stop Foodborne Illness, told DailyMail.com: “From farms growing ingredients to restaurants serving food, every partner in the food chain must prioritize food safety to prevent these outbreaks occur.
Dr. Shanina Knighton, an associate research professor at Case Western Reserve University, said she avoids restaurants where food is served 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 prepare and serve model, where employees prepare meals or bowls in front of customers.
‘In these settings, I have observed workers alternating between tasks (handling utensils, touching food, and operating machines or registers) without washing their hands or changing gloves.
“They often register orders, handle credit cards and touch payment screens, creating numerous opportunities for cross-contamination.”
Dr. Knighton also noted that hand sanitizers may be too close to the food preparation area or registers, increasing the risk of harmful chemicals contaminating food.
Chipotle, in particular, made headlines when more than 1,110 people fell ill with norovirus, the most common type of food poisoning, between 2015 and 2018.
The outbreak was due to the chain’s “adulteration” of food, which meant adding undeclared ingredients to cut costs and improve appearance.
Also in 2015, 55 people in 11 states became ill and 22 were hospitalized from E. coli from the Mexican fast chain, although the exact cause was never found.
And recent data from Iwaspoisoned.com, which collects food poisoning reports, found that, by self-reports, Sweetgreen was linked to an 11 times increased risk of illness compared to the average risk.
Dr. Knighton also recommended paying attention to how fast food workers handle condiments.
She said: ‘Pre-packaged condiments should never come into contact with food as they are often stored in boxes or placed on surfaces that cannot be disinfected.
‘If the packaging touches the food, it can introduce contaminants.
“Dirty or unswept floors are also a red flag, as they indicate poor cleaning practices that can extend to food preparation areas.”
And if workers spend a lot of time on their phones, it may be better to take your business elsewhere.
Dr Knighton added: “Phones are known to be 10 times dirtier than a toilet seat and can harbor dangerous bacteria such as E. coli.” “If workers don’t wash their hands after using their phones, it creates a serious risk of contamination.”
He said even using fake nails can pose problems, as they can get caught or broken by gloves, making them less effective.
Baum also suggested paying attention to employees who touch their hair or phones without washing their hands, as well as checking to see if 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 at every restaurant before sitting down to eat.
He said: “If they are serious about hygiene, that is a place that will show you that the restaurant is clean.”
Dr. Detwiler looks for telltale signs of a neglected bathroom, 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 bathroom odors, and 63 percent said they would stay away if they knew clogged toilets were common.
Dr. Shanina Knighton, an associate research 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 literally walked out of restaurants, even if 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, mishandled condiments, or improperly used condiments.” artificial”. nails that compromise the effectiveness of the gloves.
Toby Amidor, New York nutrition expert and author of Health vaccinestold DailyMail.com: “If you walk into any food service establishment and see a lot of flies or bugs, a big mess in the back, no hand washing or glove use, employees working when they are sick, actually , a combination of these bad practices – that can give you an idea of how (the restaurant) views food safety practices.
“In terms of cross-contamination, separate cutting boards, surfaces and utensils are always used to prepare raw meat and cooked foods, such as raw versus cooked hamburgers or raw hamburgers and fresh fruit.”
And amid an outbreak, Ms Amidor said: “There is also nothing wrong with doing a little cooking at home if you are unsure about the safety of the food until the problem is resolved.”