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Restaurants Are Dirtier Than You'd Like to Know

partysugar — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:15:15 -0700

A recent study by the Center For Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has shown that restaurants are incredibly dirty. From moldy refrigerators to live cockroaches to unsanitary prep and cook surfaces, the study illustrates the huge number of restaurants that are cited with health-code violations. Sarah Klein, an attorney for the CSPI, explains why most restaurants have a long way to go before they meet the Food and Drug Administration's health codes:

Restaurants aren't motivated to pass a very high safety bar. A restaurant may commit violations that the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention would classify as most critical - improper holding temperatures, poor employee hygiene, food bought from unsafe sources, food that is not thoroughly cooked, or food surfaces that are not properly disinfected - without much fear of being shut down. Even violations that involve rat infestations or unwell employees (restaurant workers tend not to get paid sick days) also may not lead to closure. Restaurants only have the incentive to do what they need to do to stay open. The consumer would never know how close they were to being shut down.

While opposition is quick to point out that the inspectors could have been too harsh, I have a feeling the study's disturbing conclusions may be true. After all, Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares takes an insider's look at such kitchens. Although the findings don't list the restaurants' names, it does provide the public with a breakdown of the worst and best cities in terms of health expectations. To find out how your city ranked, read more.

Austin, Texas: 58 violations in 30 restaurants

Boston: 63 violations in 30 restaurants

Milwaukee: 27 violations in 20 restaurants

Colorado Springs, Colo.: 46 violations in 30 restaurants

Kansas City, Mo.: 41 violations in 30 restaurants

Pittsburgh: 40 violations in 30 restaurants

Denver: 35 violations in 30 restaurants

Las Vegas: 30 violations in 25 restaurants

Washington, D.C.: 27 violations in 25 restaurants

New York: 32 violations in 30 restaurants

Atlanta: 19 violations in 20 restaurants

Portland: 25 violations in 27 restaurants

Baltimore: 14 violations in 14 restaurants

Minneapolis, Minn.: 31 violations in 29 restaurants

Chicago: 22 violations in 30 restaurants

St. Louis: 17 violations in 27 restaurants

Seattle: 16 violations in 30 restaurants

Philadelphia: 16 violations in 23 restaurants

San Francisco: 15 violations in 30 restaurants

Tucson, Ariz.: 14 violations in 29 restaurants

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Self-Checkouts Better For Your Wallet and Waistline

YumSugar — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 10:15:18 -0700

Next time you're waiting in line at the supermarket, do yourself a favor and mosey over to the self-checkout instead. According to Consumer Reports, ringing up groceries yourself could save you calories - as well as cash.

Last month, the magazine reported that the unit price of Coke at the register was more than twice as expensive as Coke sold in the beverage aisle, illustrating the fact that items sold near the checkout tend to be more costly than their grocery aisle counterparts. Since self-checkouts mean more distractions, fewer snack options, and a shorter wait time, bagging your own food could also be better for your health. A 2007 study revealed impulse buys dropped more than 32 percent among women and 16 percent among men when shoppers rang up their own purchases. The same survey also suggested that women could lose up to 4.1 pounds - and men 3.1 pounds - yearly by eliminating impulse buys at the checkout altogether.

I've gone to the self-checkout in the past to purchase an item or two, but I must admit that I avoid it otherwise, since my impatient self can't handle it when the automated system gets stuck on a bar code or a bagged item. Nevertheless, these stats have me reconsidering self-bagging. Do you think there's truth to the claim?

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To Curb Drinking, UK Mandates Smaller Wine Glasses

YumSugar — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:00:33 -0700

UK officials are hoping that a simple swap of the dishes will be the quick fix for some of the country's social problems. According to official figures, 43 percent of middle-class professionals exceed safe alcohol guidelines. Experts are putting the blame on the upward size trend of wine glasses. That's why next month, ministers plan to release a mandatory code of practice requiring all venues serving alcohol to offer customers a choice of drink size.
While a standard wine glass once held 125 ml - a little over 4 ounces - many establishments now consider this a "small" size. A large size rings in at 250 ml - a serving that could equal as much as one-third of a bottle of wine. And at least 10 percent of UK bars have been using 250 ml as a standard-sized wine glass. "Glass sizes have increased over the years, as has the strength of wine," said Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo. "Too often the only size available is a large glass. I would like to see more choice available, so people can opt for a small glass."

What do you think of this solution? Will offering smaller servings of wine at bars encourage drinkers to consume less?

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Recall Warning: Salmonella and Listeria, Oh Boy!

YumSugar — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 01:31:31 -0800

Seems that sprouts aren't the only thing being recalled due to salmonella bacteria. This time it's batches of Aunt Jemima Pancake and Waffle Mix: Original, Original Complete, and Buttermilk Complete. According to Aunt Jemima folks, there is only a health risk if it's consumed raw or undercooked. At this time, no illnesses have been reported.

The products - both two and five pound boxes - have best before dates of FEB 08 09 H through FEB 16 09 H stamped on top. The UPC codes are:

30000 43272 Aunt Jemima Buttermilk Complete 5 lb.
30000 05040 Aunt Jemima Original 2 lb.
30000 05070 Aunt Jemima Original Complete 2 lb.
30000 05300 Aunt Jemima Buttermilk Complete 2 lb.

If you think you have this product, or if you have any questions, contact Aunt Jemima at 1-800-407-2247.

And if one recall wasn't enough today, the East Coast based Stop & Shop Supermarket has recalled products that were sold in their deli. The following products have been recalled because they may have been contaminated with the Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.

Breaded Chicken Cutlet (labeled GB BRD CHIX CUTLETS or GB BR CHIX CUTLTS)
Chicken Marsala (labeled GB CHIX MARSALA)
Grilled Lemon Chicken (labeled GB GR LEMON CHIX or GB GR LNI CHCKN)
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken (labeled GB GR TERIYKI CHIX or GB GR TRYKI CHICKN)

No illnesses have been found, but folks who have purchased these products should immediately dispose them. You can contact Stop and Shop for more info.

So tell me do all these food recalls change your purchasing habits?