KFC’s ice cubes are 12 times dirtier than toilet water, says China’s official media

[n2doc]

The Chinese government’s official broadcast media says that ice cubes served in KFC were 12 times dirtier than toilet water—and 19 times the national bacteria level standard.

The report, which was based on samples the China Central Television (CCTV) reporter took in eastern Beijing, found that ice cubes at Chinese fast food chain Kung Fu also out-germed toilet water. While McDonald’s ice cubes also exceeded the national bacteria level standard, though they were still cleaner than toilet water.

A food safety expert interviewed in the initial segment—CCTV has since aired many more—said the bacteria could cause dysentery and diarrhea (link in Chinese). After the initial CCTV report aired on Sunday, discussion of the issue went, er, viral on Sina Weibo. Since then, KFC, McDonald’s and Kung Fu have all apologized and vowed to clean their ice machines. Here’s a look at some of the footage from the CCTV report (link in Chinese):



Toilets are obviously not primed for drinking; the risk they pose to human health comes from bacteria transmitted via fecal matter—bacteria like e. coli, for instance.

But while the CCTV report was based on the raw number of bacteria colonies, it didn’t reveal what sort of bacteria it found. That makes it somewhat misleading (link in Chinese), as one food safety expert told First Financial Daily. “The [headline] might be a little eye-grabbing, but it’s not that useful—for instance, the bacteria count on your teeth or on the bottom of your shoe is about the same,” Dong Qingli, a food safety expert, told the paper. “Instead you should look at which actual bacteria types exceeded levels.”

more

http://qz.com/106688/kfcs-ice-cubes-are-12-times-dirtier-than-toilet-water-says-chinas-official-media/

[olddots]

2. the good news is --------

KFC's ice cubes in America are only 6 times dirtier than toilet water .

[cthulu2016]

3. That seems rather unlikely

I doubt KFC adds packets of germs to the tap water out of spite.

Perhaps the toilet water has bleach in it (like those bleach cakes one puts in the tank). That would result in fewer germs... but not higher drinkability.

I wonder whether KFC recently declined to buy advertising on this station.

Or who owns the competing businesses.

[Chiyo-chichi]

7. It is not at all unlikely.

Here's a very recent article which says that basically the same thing is true in England: http://www.blisstree.com/2013/06/04/public-health-2/fast-food-restaurant-ice-cubes-have-more-bacteria-than-their-toilet-water/

“This is a warning,” Melody Greenwood, a doctor and former laboratory director for the British Health Protection Agency, told the Mail.

“It is easy to forget ice can carry bacteria because they think it is too cold for germs, but that is far from the truth. Nasty bugs such as E.coli can lurk in ice machines. In some cases, such as Nando’s, we found double the amount of bacteria we would expect to find [in drinking water]. This is caused by things such as a failure to clean machines and scoops used by staff.”

It happens in the U.S., too.

Workers at many restaurants tend to leave the scoop inside the ice machine. The scoop rarely gets cleaned. Same for the machine.

[cthulu2016]

8. Okay, I can see that

[hollysmom]

4. which is why you are always supposed to ask for no ice in your drinks

in any food place.

As an aside, my nephew who worked in restaurants also said never order soup, that is the place here most workers get their revenge.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

5. This is why I only eat Hitler Chicken.

[NickB79]

6. OMG, they've added a 12the herb and/or spice!

Human shit.

Mmmmmmm.......

[olddots]

9. haven't you ever bought fast food and thought it tastes shitty ?