Ice contamination is a serious public health concern.
Source water contamination, mold, mildew, and slime-contaminated contact surfaces in the ice machines, unsanitized ice scoops, and cross-contamination in the handling process are the leading causes of packaged ice contamination.
Packaged Ice Safety – IPIA-Accredited vs. Non-Accredited
University of Georgia researchers studied the microbiological quality of packaged ice from retail locations (like convenience stores, liquor stores, gas stations, and fast-food restaurants) and compared it to ice produced under the International Packaged Ice Association's (IPIA) rigorous Packaged Ice Quality Control Standards (PIQCS).
The results indicated that “no coliforms or E. Coli were detected in the ice from manufacturing plants (IPIA), which indicates good sanitary, hygienic practices may have been in place.”
The results indicated that “no coliforms or E. Coli were detected in the ice from manufacturing plants (IPIA), which indicates good sanitary, hygienic practices may have been in place.”
The results weren’t as good for non-accredited packaged ice produced by on-premises retail stores and self-serve vending machines. Results found that:
- 13.6% of non-accredited ice contained one of the two potent contaminants E. coli and enterococci.
- 38% of non-accredited ice fell outside the acceptable range for PH in the chemical analysis.
- 38% of non-accredited ice contained an unsatisfactory level of coliforms - significant enough to indicate sanitation problems.
- 1 non-accredited ice sample contained salmonella - a deadly bacterium seen recently in many food-borne outbreaks.
- 1 non-accredited ice sample contained Enterobacter agglomerans - from a self-service vending machine
The results clearly show that consumers need to be conscious of which ice they are buying for themselves and their families.
Purchasing ice bearing the IPIA Seal of Accreditation is the only way consumers can be assured that their packaged ice is safe to consume.
