NationStates Jolt Archive

Sure, some Europeans don't put ice in their cola (or drink beer instead). Maybe they're on to something.

Apparently, the ice at fast food restaurants is more contaminated with bacteria than a toilet.

Now clean up your keyboard...

http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBQOZP9MJE.html?imw=Y

TAMPA - Those ice-cold drinks from favorite fast food restaurants may not seem as refreshing after a seventh-grader's science project reveals what may lurk inside the cup.

Benito Middle School student Jasmine Roberts examined the amount of bacteria in ice served at fast food restaurants.

Her project won the science fair at the New Tampa school, and she hopes to win a top prize at the Hillsborough County Regional Science and Engineering Fair, which starts Tuesday.

The 12-year-old compared the ice used in the drinks with the water from toilet bowls in the same restaurants. Jasmine said she found the results startling.

"I thought there might be a little bacteria in the ice, but I never expected it to be this much," she said. "And I never thought the toilet water would be cleaner."

Her discovery: Seventy percent of the time, the ice had more bacteria than the toilet water.

So you're saying that all this time, I may have been worried about the wrong part of my bourbon on the rocks?

I don't put ice in my drinks because I take a while to drink them and I don't like when the ice melts and leaves watered down drink at the end.

I enjoy my bacteria in my ice cubes and shall continue to use them. I will just use ones from my own fridge from now on.

So you're saying that all this time, I may have been worried about the wrong part of my bourbon on the rocks?
What the hell fast food restaurants are you going to that'll serve you bourbon?

Simonist']What the hell fast food restaurants are you going to that'll serve you bourbon?


Yeah Because i want to go there.

Were the same kind of bacteria inside the toilet water and the ice cubes, or were they different?
As far as I know, not all bacteria are necessarily harmful to humans, that's why I ask. The sheer number shouldn't cause a scandal, really. Otherwise I might just go and prove that there's the same amount of bacteria in a my joghurt as there are in any sewer...

I think it was Nazz who beat you to this topic earlier.

Scary stuff - I am the type who likes to eat the ice when the drink is gone.

Simonist']What the hell fast food restaurants are you going to that'll serve you bourbon?
At the BK Lounge. I know a man who bounces there, and he won't let you in without your coups.
*Ahem*
I doubt that many bars hold themselves to that much higher a standard of cleanliness then a fast-food restaurant. Or at least, not the kind of bars I go to.

all the more reason to add whiskey to the coke, it'll kill off the bacteria from the ice! wonder if i can use that excuse at work...hmmmmm....

So you're saying that all this time, I may have been worried about the wrong part of my bourbon on the rocks?
well, the alcohol should kill the bacteria. You should probably swap to grain/everclear just to be safe though

At the BK Lounge. I know a man who bounces there, and he won't let you in without your coups.
*Ahem*
I doubt that many bars hold themselves to that much higher a standard of cleanliness then a fast-food restaurant. Or at least, not the kind of bars I go to.
I bartend...look at it this way..if I shake a drink and then strain it using the small cup, or if I touch the ice with my hands to fill my sink, then whatever my hands have touched is now touching your drink.

Now, use your imagination as to where my hands have been

edit: by the way, the soda is already chilled. If you put ice in, you're getting less soda. Don't bother with it.

Well, of course. Do you see them applying bleach to the ice machines? Of course not. THEN you'd be quite appalled.

Fact is, the bacteria on the ice are probably far less dangerous than the ones on the toilet. The toilet is likely covered in E. Coli, which cause some nasty digestive problems in excess (yet, without them, digesting meat entirely would take days). Meanwhile, the bacteria on your ice are little more than cold causers, and many are probably completely harmless. My friend lives in Tampa, and there haven't been any disease epidemics.

Once again, 12 year olds are terrorizing the nation. I say we phase them out.

Pointless, pointless research. The whole reason for not having ice in your drinks is that the ice takes up valuable volume that could be otherwise used by the actual drink.

They do have a small point though. If you ever go to a country with a contaminated water supply then never, ever, drink water from the tap or ask for ice... unless of course you want to lose a couple of stone in the course of a couple of days. Mmmm... giardia, oh and amoebic dysentry. :D

Once again, 12 year olds are terrorizing the nation. I say we phase them out.
What, kill all children when they reach 12 years old? Or are we going to have a holding period at age 11 for two years, then skip them straight up to 13?

I enjoy my bacteria in my ice cubes and shall continue to use them. I will just use ones from my own fridge from now on.
Wise choice. You've probably built up an immunity to all the crud in there. As a matter of fact, I suspect they have formed a symbiosis with your internal organs by now. OMG! Don't stop using your own ice, you'll probably die! :D

it's true, I used to manage a fast food restraunt, and I would get put wherever they needed a manager when I wanted overtime, more than once I found that the major ice machine (the one they use to refill the soda ice dispensers) was growing mold inside it. I spent many late nights completely emptying the big ice machines and bleaching them out, and then getting up on a chair to clean out the soda machines, I got written up for it 3 times. ;)

Simonist']What, kill all children when they reach 12 years old? Or are we going to have a holding period at age 11 for two years, then skip them straight up to 13?
No, those plans are stupid and inhumane. What we do is ship all children off to China 24 hours before their 12th birthdays, and don't ship them back until 24 hours after the've turned 13. It eliminates the plague of 12 year olds, and it continues the ancient and respectable cycle of exploiting the youth and child-labour that has made the Western world great.

Simonist']What, kill all children when they reach 12 years old? Or are we going to have a holding period at age 11 for two years, then skip them straight up to 13?

what about children born on leap years!?!?!? :eek:


number of bacteria! omg, like i never ever want ice again!
i think it was mythbusters who found there's more bacteria in our mouth than a dog's. then again, no one said useful/harmful bacteria either.

since when do 12 year old science projects a.) have the power to scare people w/o science skills and b.) have the ability to determine how many bacteria actually exist? can your local 12 year old do that? ask em!

I don't use ice at fast food restaurants because 1) the soda comes out of the machines cold and 2) that's an excuse for them to give you 1/3 to 1/2 LESS soda.

I don't use ice at fast food restaurants because 1) the soda comes out of the machines cold and 2) that's an excuse for them to give you 1/3 to 1/2 LESS soda.
Sadly, I have only been in two places in England where I could pour my own soft drinks. One is Subway, where every subway does this and the other was a McDonalds near me. Everywhere else, they just give you ice anyway.

what about children born on leap years!?!?!? :eek:
Well logically those "kids" won't turn 12 until they're what, 48? As it appears to have been stated as more of an age problem than a maturity problem, I assume we'll pack 'em away for the long haul on their 12th/48th birthday, or whatever.

i think it was mythbusters who found there's more bacteria in our mouth than a dog's. then again, no one said useful/harmful bacteria either.
Yeah, they also discovered that poo-bacteria resides upon each and every toothbrush, whether you keep it in the medicine cabinet or on the shelf or in the friggin broom closet. Poo-bacteria is all over the house. Now let's see how many people stop brushing their teeth as well.

So you're saying that all this time, I may have been worried about the wrong part of my bourbon on the rocks?

Alcohol kills germs....

So you're saying that all this time, I may have been worried about the wrong part of my bourbon on the rocks?

Nah, the alcohol content kills the bacteria off... No bacteria in your alcoholic beverages so, theoretically, drinking alcohol is safer than drinking soft drinks from a fast-food restaurant...

oh for gods sake, there are bacteria everywhere. the exposure to different bacteria improves our immune system.

when was the last time you got sick off the ice from a restaurant?

if you avoid licking your hands after handling raw chicken youll be FINE.

oh for gods sake, there are bacteria everywhere. the exposure to different bacteria improves our immune system.

when was the last time you got sick off the ice from a restaurant?

if you avoid licking your hands after handling raw chicken youll be FINE.
but I can still enjoy my raw chickensicles as long as I don't lick my hands, right?

Sure, some Europeans don't put ice in their cola (or drink beer instead). Maybe they're on to something.

Apparently, the ice at fast food restaurants is more contaminated with bacteria than a toilet.

Now clean up your keyboard...

http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBQOZP9MJE.html?imw=Y
I hate ice...it makes my drinks watery

Because I'm going to make my life decisions based on a science project done by a 7th grader.

I sincerely doubt she had a sterilized laboratory to prevent cross-contamination. In fact, I'm willing to bet she didn't even wash her hands before conducting whatever comprised this experiment.

I hate ice...it makes my drinks watery yes, that is the reason i don't use ice. i think it is a better excuse than something that a 12 year old did for a science fair:D

Sadly, I have only been in two places in England where I could pour my own soft drinks. One is Subway, where every subway does this and the other was a McDonalds near me. Everywhere else, they just give you ice anyway.


The trick is to say when you order...'I don't want your filthy toilet water ice cubes in my drink thank you'

Simonist']What, kill all children when they reach 12 years old? Or are we going to have a holding period at age 11 for two years, then skip them straight up to 13?

exactually

More doesn't necessarily equal worse. There's supposedly more germs and bacteria in your mouth than there are on your backside, but I can pretty much guarantee that anybody who started licking their own backside would not only find themselves missing a few ribs, but also with some rather poorly side effects...

Have you ever watched Myth Busters on the Discovery Channel? It's a great show, where they go to great lengths to test classic myths and urband legends to see how true any are.

One of the ones they tested, was fecal bacteria on tooth brushes. They placed a couple dozen all around the bathroom, and then regularly used the bathroom every day. They also brushed with some of the toothbrushes. Finally, they had a control toothbrush outside the bathroom.

After a couple weeks, they tested each toothbush around the bathroom, and the control toothbrush for fecal bacteria. What was interesting is that distance didn't matter with the amount of bacteria, and even the control toothbrush had fecal bacteria on it.

Consider having ice as an investment in your future.

Build up that immunity!

Well, it's all going to end up in the toilet anyway, so why the fuss?


Of course, one should never add ice to spirits. If you want it cold, chill it in the freezer first. Only way to drink vodka (best way is drinking it chilled surrounded by beautiful Russian women - believe me, it's an unforgettable experience)

Why would I want to be surounded by beautiful russian women?

Wise choice. You've probably built up an immunity to all the crud in there. As a matter of fact, I suspect they have formed a symbiosis with your internal organs by now. OMG! Don't stop using your own ice, you'll probably die! :D

:D Nice on Eut.

Since I havent been to a fast food "restaurant" in about 15 years this doent really affect me though. I still cant see why anyone would.