1. The freezing process destroys all pathogens present in the food.

FALSE: Bacteria and viruses can survive on ice cubes, and some can even multiply.

2. If pathogenic bacteria are present in ice, they can be killed when the ice is added to beverages with high alcoholic content.
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FALSE: A study at the University of Texas found that Salmonella, E. coli, and Shigella survived in ice cubes mixed with cola, scotch and water, and even 85-proof tequila.

3. Ice is high on the list to investigate as the source of an outbreak.
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FALSE: Ice is rarely considered a source of outbreaks. By the time other high-profile foods like meat are ruled out, the ice has usually melted and disappeared.​

4. Ice is ice…it’s just frozen water.
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FALSE: The sanitary quality of ice varies by manufacturer. Pathogens in the water supply can survive the freezing process, and additional contamination can occur through slime, mold in ice machines, unsanitized scoops, and infected food handlers. Only IPIA-accredited packaged ice is verified by third-party audits to meet strict sanitary standards and is the only ice routinely tested for pathogens by independent labs.

5. All packaged ice is untouched by human hands.
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FALSE: Millions of pounds of ice are manually bagged in the backrooms of convenience stores, liquor stores, fast-food restaurants, and gas stations, allowing for hand contact and potential contamination. Only IPIA Member packaged ice is guaranteed to be untouched by human hands.​

6. Packaged ice is regulated like all other foods.
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FALSE: While ice is classified as a food, there are no specific regulations for packaged ice manufacturing, except for the IPIA’s self-regulated Packaged Ice Quality Control Standards (PIQCS). IPIA members must adhere to these strict standards, unlike the unregulated millions of pounds of ice produced at retail locations and self-serve vending machines, which often operate with little to no oversight.

 For more information about IPIA and safe ice, visit www.packagedice.com.