Health Briefs notes that not a day goes by when there
aren't media reports about "dirty restaurants". Inspectors look for evidence of rodents and
insects, and all too often, they find plenty.
But what about the more sinister and harder to detect contamination of
viruses? Probably everybody had heard of
the Norovirus, as it spreads like wildfire in closed environments such as on
board cruise ships. On a ship, everyone
is eating food prepared at the same source and water is recycled. Today's filtration systems are very good, but
have they been tested against viruses, for which they were not initially
designed?
Health Briefs notes that Norovirus is rampant, and not only aboard cruise liners.
The Health Briefs TV show reports that the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention have identified food workers as the likely
culprits in many of these cases. There
are laws and posted signs reminding the staff of restaurants to wash their
hands thoroughly after using the bathroom, but do they really? How can this best be monitored? Every diner has witnessed, at one time or
other, a waiter, cook or kitchen worker leaving a restroom without performing
the obligatory washing. That worker then
proceeds to handle dishes such as raw fruits and vegetables for salads or
sandwiches, baked goods and pre-cooked foods.
In the end, it comes down to trust of the restaurant management and
staff. And the prices on the menu have
no correlation to the likelihood of strict observance of hygienic practices.
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