Food Contamination

A few member and I were chatting about food contamination. In one instance, a pizza delivery driver ejaculated on his cargo.We all agreed that it would be better if such a thing were to ever happen to our food, but I asked the question: do we want it to not happen, or do we more-so not want to know it it does.So, where do you stand? And, do you think that people would really be happier not knowing if it does happen, or happier knowing that it doesn't. I think that people cannot be angry or sad if it doesn't happen, because there is nothing to react to. However, if it does happen, we then have the calm state of not knowing, versus the angered, hurt, sick feeling of knowing. Which state is better?J0NEdited by AdminAsgara, : changed poor taste name of thread

Do you really think that there is anyone out there who doesn't think it happens?Brian.

I think that people would rather just believe what thay want to believe.I've worked in the specialty food industry for over a decade and for much of that in a single business.During my tenure there the state's health department laws requiring employees who handle food for sale (that will not then be cooked) changed to requiring gloves.We used to call them the "magic gloves", because when people saw you wearing them, they just assumed that you were clean. Someone could theoretically wear the same pair of gloves all day. They could go to the bathroom, smoke, eat, pick their nose, and dig around in the bottom of the dumpster, but as long as those people saw them wearing gloves while handling their food, they were happy.By contrast, when we were previously not required to wear gloves, we often got people making comments about the fact that we didn't use them.The truth is, I think we were cleaner when we didn't have to use the gloves, because we actually got stuff on our hands all the time, which made us want to constantly wash them.When wearing gloves, it's easier to forget to do that because you don't feel anything on your skin, and then you are more likely to cross-contaminate. I know for sure that I did not wash my hands as often when I wore gloves compared to when I didn't.In addition, wearing plastic gloves all day makes your hands very warm and sweaty; the perfect environment for bacterial growth.Edited by schrafinator, : No reason given.

All depends.If someone sneezed on your food, you might not want to know.
If someone bled on it, you probably would.

The gloves we wear when handling food that will not be cooked are the most uncomfortable piles of crap you could imagine. I honestly don't see how anyone could wear them for more than a few seconds.I wear gloves even when making food that will be cooked, just to keep my hands from smelling like onions! YUCK! If I move to making crust, I change gloves. If I've just handled sugar, I change gloves (sugar mixed with pepperoni is just NAST!). Oh, and I never touch myself with the gloves, then I'd just become as gross as the food I'm handling! (YUCK!)Though, I'd have to argue that washing your hands is not as big of a deal when you are wearing gloves. It's all about how often you change the li'l buggers that matters. When you pulled the gloves out of the box, did you grab a part that was the outside of the glove? If you ask me, that all defeats the purpose right there... but oh hell, what's a fella to do?Gotta make crust for New Years

quote:

---

I wear gloves even when making food that will be cooked, just to keep my hands from smelling like onions!

---

Rub your hands on anything stainless steel (like a sink) to take off onion/garlic smells. It does actually work pretty well if the sulfur compounds haven't penetrated into your skin too deeply.

quote:

---

Though, I'd have to argue that washing your hands is not as big of a deal when you are wearing gloves. It's all about how often you change the li'l buggers that matters.

---

Well, that's the thing...the health department rules state that you are supposed to wash your hands just as much if you are wearing gloves as when we were allowed to be bare-handed.And you are correct; getting your hands all sweaty and growing lots of bacteria on them, and then touching the outside of a fresh pair of gloves when you go to put them on does indeed defeat the purpose.