Mcdonalds

  • Former Philly McDonald Employee's video shows mice in a bun bag - but was it served?

    Posted: January 17th, 2012 - 10:00am by Ben Chapman

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    Ben Chapman

    I've only ever seen a mouse at a restaurant once. I was visiting Halifax (that's in Canada) and had dinner at a popular downtown eatery, Alfredo, Weinstien and Ho's (the ultimate Italian-Deli-Asian food experience - which has apparently closed). For about 10 minutes we saw a mouse dart in and out of view grabbing food from the floor. After flagging our server down and alerting him to the mouse, he and the manager discretely moved some furniture and the mouse fled the room. The manager came over, thanked us for not making a scene and comped all of our meals (but said we had to pay for our bar tab); not a bad deal.

    While mice infestations and droppings elicit a yuck-factor response from TV personalities and guests, I'd prefer to know about how well the staff manages the recognized foodborne illness risk factors: improper cooking temps; improper storage/holding temps; handwashing and hygiene; cross-contamination and safe sources.

    In an excellently-titled post, I’m Ralphin’ It of the Day, The Daily What has a video of a mouse problem at a Philly McDonald's. The video, taken by former employee Karruim Demaio shows a mouse running through a Big Mac bun bag. Pests (rodent and insect) are often a problem for food businesses. Warm, dark places with lots of food is a good spot for a mouse or flies to live. It's not surprising that there are mice in a storage room.

    What is surprising is that Demaio says a manager told him to brush droppings off of the buns and serve them. He says the same manager was seen wiping off pest droppings in the past.

    Who knows whether the brush-and-serve actually happened - but that's where the risk discussion lies. It's not really a problem until the food makes it to a patron. Identifying a pest problem and dealing with it (which might have happened) happens in a business with a good food safety culture; brush-and-serve doesn't. All the video shows is that a mouse was there.

    Video Shows Mouse In Bag Of Big Mac Rolls: MyFoxPHILLY.com

     

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    Food Safety Culture  |  0 Comments
    Mcdonalds, Mice, Pest Control
  • Hepatitis scare at Alberta McDonald’s

    Posted: September 3rd, 2010 - 3:41pm by Doug Powell

    As I told my daughter before she went on a high school graduation party in the Dominican Republic, get vaccinated for hepatitis A.

    Alberta Health Services issued a release earlier today reporting an employee from the Scenic Drive McDonald’s downtown in Lethbridge, Alberta (that’s in Canada) has been diagnosed with hepatitis A.

    Anyone who ate there 20–22 August 2010 may have been exposed and should see his/her physician.

    Alberta Health Services will be offering vaccine through clinics at the West Pavilion of Exhibition Park today from 1:30–19:00, tomorrow from 9:00–15:00, and Sunday from 9:00–15:00. The vaccine is effective if administered within 14 days of exposure only.

    Alberta Health Services believes the employee contracted the disease while travelling abroad.

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    Hepatitis A  |  0 Comments
    Alberta, hepatitis A, lethbridge, Mcdonalds
  • Report: Illinois hepatitis A outbreak would have been prevented with proper handwashing (and vaccination)

    Posted: December 2nd, 2009 - 9:59pm by Doug Powell

    The Illinois Health Department has concluded its investigation into this summer's hepatitis A outbreak and found that most of the cases originated at the Milan McDonald's and most of the cases “would have been prevented” if only that one employee had properly washed hands.

    The findings of the investigation by the Illinois Department of Public Health concludes "the index case was a food handler at the McDonalds in Milan, Illinois and had onset of illness June 11." Investigators also found "other possible sources in the community were ruled out."

    And, "The source of the outbreak for the majority of outbreak cases was food eaten at the McDonalds, Milan, Illinois where a food handler worked while infectious and handled foods that were not later cooked."

    The state investigation goes on to say that "if the first employee with hepatitis A had used proper hand-washing technique while working the transmission of hepatitis A through food would not have occurred."
     

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    Handwashing, Hepatitis A, Salmonella  |  1 Comment
    Illinois, Mcdonalds, Milan