Why Clean Ice Matters
Invisible Threats in Your Ice
Dirty ice can harbor dangerous microorganisms, making it a hidden threat to health. Studies have shown that ice can be heavily contaminated with coliform bacteria, which can cause serious gastrointestinal illnesses. These contaminants often find their way into ice through:
Dust and Dirt
from floors, clothing, storage, and more
Containers
that have been reused or soiled
Human Contact
from hands during dispensing
Your Responsibility:
The FDA defines ice as food, requiring it to meet cleanliness standards.
Ignoring ice machine maintenance can not only lead to serious health risks, but legal consequences and hefty fines.
Serious Health Consequences:
One contaminated ice cube can ruin your reputation and endanger lives.
Contaminated ice can cause a range of illnesses, from mild gastrointestinal discomfort to severe infections. The presence of pathogens like Listeria can lead to major health problems, especially for the immunocompromised populations.
Best Practices for Ice Safety:
Protect your business and customers.
To ensure the safety of your ice and protect your customers, regularly clean and sanitize ice machines, train your staff on proper ice handling techniques, and avoid cross-contamination.
Under the Criminal Fine Enforcement Act of 1984, fines can be up to…
$100,000
for a misdemeanor not resulting in death
$250,000
upon individuals for misdemeanors resulting in death
$500,000
upon corporations for misdemeanors resulting in death
Outbreaks Linked to Dirty Ice:
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has traced numerous outbreaks of gastrointestinal illnesses, including noroviruses, to contaminated ice. Even in hospital settings, dirty ice has been a culprit in spreading infections. Ice, often assumed to be safe, can pose significant health risks if not properly managed.
Why should you hire expert cleaners?
In order to clean each part of the machine that interact with the ice making process, the machine needs to be disassembled. Our team is trained to identify and eliminate biofilms and other contaminants that standard cleaning methods might miss. Don’t risk damage to your expensive machine or leftover bacteria, leave it to the professionals at Clean Ice.
