For golfers or other sports enthusiasts who have been hot and thirsty during play, think about the last time you got a drink from a five-gallon plastic beverage dispenser. For that matter, when was the last time your kids did this?

Generally, water in an insulated cooler with a disposable cup dispenser on the side seems to be an okay scenario. In most cases, that would be right, but let’s consider an incident that occurred in 2002.

WHAT CAN GO WRONG
Eighty-four cases of Norwalk-like virus were linked to Thunderbirds Golf Club in Phoenix, the site of a junior golf tournament. One young golfer, 15-year-old Nils Beeman, was found in the bathroom in the early morning hours the day after participating in the tournament, apparently having choked to death on his own vomit. His death, while not directly linked to a virus or contaminated water from water dispensing jugs, was ruled to be caused by probable acute gastroenteritis. Stool samples tested from other golfers who became ill confirmed the presence of the virus. While the exact source of the contamination was not determined, the county health department representative noted that there were many possible points of contamination and that none of the water jugs were locked down. A court settlement of $3 million (without admission of negligence by the golf course) is thought to be one of the largest settlements for a golf course at the time.

In response to this event, golf courses across the country took a long, hard look at the practice of providing water jugs (possibly filled by maintenance workers) on courses. Bottled water in ice chests or water fountains at reasonable intervals around the course are now the standard. This is not to say that all water jugs have been put out to pasture, but their use has been drastically reduced. The care, maintenance, and control of jugs and the procedures for filling them have been reconsidered by the industry.

PREVENTION
So what about our industry? How do we handle not only water dispensing but all beverage dispensing from the numerous containers used to store, transport, and serve beverages in and around our facilities as well as off-premise? The health code is fairly straightforward when it comes to this matter. The inside of the container—a food contact surface—must be cleaned and sanitized regularly or as needed, based on frequency of use. We assume:

• The product placed in the container starts out safe.
• Beverage containers are cleaned and sanitized on a regular basis.
• The operation pays special attention to valve assemblies on containers, taking them apart and ensuring that sufficient cleaning and sanitizing has taken place.
• Clean and sanitary containers are then ready to receive potable water and properly prepared beverages.

If the beverage product is placed in a clean and sanitized container with a tightfitting lid, we should be okay, right? Well, yes and no. I would add another proactive step here. Proper control of the product means control is maintained from the time of preparation through service and all steps in between. Can you be sure no one contaminated the product, either by accident (the lid fell off and was replaced) or by intentionally adulterating it? I suggest spending a few dollars to have safety seals printed that will span the lid to the base and indicate if the lid was removed after the contents were added and the unit closed and sealed. I am sure at least one of the many safety label manufacturers makes labels where the adhesive readily washes off the container.

Containers and dispensing devices for our beverages must be cleaned and sanitized properly. The containers must be stored so they can dry out between uses. This includes containers that hold ice for canned or bottled beverages. If there are 200 guests diving into a bin of ice and bottles, at the end of the day, is this container still a beverage bin, or has it been transformed into a hand-rinsing device? Our viral friends can be washed off a guest’s hands onto the ice and transferred to the bottle cap area or rim of the can. This is one of the primary reasons for having self-draining ice. At the end of the day, numerous viruses may be present in that large container.

Keep in mind that we must serve safe foods and beverages to guests. Let’s not forget to focus on the beverage side and the containers that hold them.

Norm Faiola, Ph.D., is associate dean and associate professor, Department of Nutrition and Hospitality Management, Syracuse University. Email Dr. Faiola with questions or comments: nafaiola@syr.edu.