If you’re heading out to a restaurant anytime soon, then you may want to take a look at new research highlighting the lack of sanitary practices in place at many facilities. The study will make you think twice the next time you order something from the menu at a food establishment.
The findings were compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Representatives of the agency fanned out across the country to collect information from restaurant workers and managers in relation to the types of hygienic practices in place and how the facilities handle leafy greens, chicken, and ground beef. California was among the handful of states where interviews took place.
The results are alarming to be sure. Workers at many kitchens were not forced to wash their hands, and during interviews, one in five workers said that they had come to work while they were either suffering from diarrhea or vomiting, often due to fears about the security of their jobs.
Although the preparation of leafy greens was largely proficient, the same could not be said for chicken and beef. Meat thermometers weren’t in use for chicken products by over half of facilities responding to the query, and the numbers were even worse when it came to burger patties. 40% of facilities didn’t impose rules regarding chicken being prepared on a cutting board kept separate from other cutting boards.