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Eat out? Watch that rag

| September 16, 2010 9:00 PM

I spent my college days - and nights - working in restaurants and really enjoyed it. Yes, it was very hard work. Yes, sometimes business was too slow, tips too thin, and I barely made minimum wage. Most of the time, customers and co-workers made it pleasant and the fast pace made time fly, despite the aching feet. I hated those goopy towels.

Admittedly I'm kind of fussy that way. The idea of using the same rag to wipe table after table ... ew. Back then the major restaurant chain I worked for instructed us to rinse them with plain soda (not water) after each use. That didn't seem enough to me.Through the years I've watched busy servers and bussers who skip disinfection and wipe several tables in a row with rags of gray and stuck food bits. Bacteria can live for days on most surfaces, longer in a moist environment.

A recent study confirms it: That's dangerous. Findings presented Wednesday at the English Health Protection Agency's (HPA) annual conference reveals that over half of restaurant cleaning cloths contain risky levels of bacteria. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimate that 97 percent of foodborne illness can be traced to improper handling in homes and restaurants.

The HPA team sampled 133 cloths from 120 U.K. establishments; 56 percent had unacceptable levels of bacteria. The most common was Enterobacteriaceae, followed by E. Coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria. Enterobacteriaceae is a family of bacteria which includes salmonella. Previous recommendations advised restaurants to use disposable cloths and change them regularly. This study found that only a third did so. The remaining two thirds used reusable cloths and 15 percent were unsure as to how often these were replaced.

The researchers also found that there was no consistent approach to disinfection. The majority disinfected reusable cloths every 10 to 24 hours, but others left it longer. Some admitted not knowing at all. How many tables does that add up to - hundreds? The problem is widespread. A 1995 U.S. study of fast food establishments showed that half of soda fountains have coliform (fecal) bacteria.

The lesson in this? Feedback and caution. Many restaurants have comment cards. If you notice less than hygienic towel use, let the management know you expect better (and compliment the ones who provide it). If food falls on the table, don't eat it. It's hard to avoid it entirely; contamination spreads by hand too.These days competition is stiff. Maybe the time is ripe for a higher standard.

Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network. E-mail sholehjo@hotmail.com