Food hygiene- Sushi seller AND maker

snugglepuff on 15/06/2023 - 11:22
Last edited 15/06/2023 - 12:12

TLDR- food handler didn't change gloves between serving customers and making Sushi.

Went to Sushi place in Melbourne CBD.
Went to buy sashimi box. Paid in cash. Then noticed the seller, who handled my cash, making the Sushi WITHOUT changing gloves between serving customers (and sometimes handling money) and making sushi. I guess it's hard and costly to keep changing gloves. I was worried I was a ticking timebomb for food poisoning but luckily okay! I did finish my meal as I didn't want to waste it. I don't really want to name and shame them on here but may consider it if necessary for action. I think it is unhygienic. I was contemplating writing a google review to point it out but don't want to be mean.

Are they breaking food handling rules?
Is this acceptable?
Should people be naming and shaming for the sake to prevent food poisoning?
Have others noticed this and is this common practice not to change gloves?

Food & Grocery

Comments

    • snugglepuff on 15/06/2023 - 11:33
      +4

      I thought I should educate myself first before having a confrontation with the shop person. I don't know how receptive they will be (this was a very old gentleman). I was hoping I could anonymously report to food authority to follow it up.

      • Porker on 15/06/2023 - 11:45
        +3

        I wouldn't worry about 'snitch' insinuation - not that long ago we were all encouraged to clean our hands before doing anything!

        It is an unhealthy practise - although you 'could' report it to say the health authorities (Council), they're unlikely to do too much apart from advise the vendor of the situation, unless there are other health breaches.

        In future though, probably best ask the question at the time - as example, I once ordered an already prepared sandwich and was asked if I'd like that toasted to which I responded yes. They toasted it but to check if it was warm enough, the attendant used her unprotected hand to touch the inside of the sandwich to see if it was warm enough.

        I asked if it was normal for her to touch the food with her bare hands to test the temperature and she said 'no, but there's no other way to check if it's hot'.

        You might find that a whole host of health issues exist, some of which we're just unaware of.

      • ThithLord on 15/06/2023 - 13:36
        +10

        Mate, don't listen to the nay-sayers. Your concerns are absolutely warranted - not sanitising their hands after handling cash (a very dirty medium) is incredibly irresponsible.

  • randomusername2017 on 15/06/2023 - 11:43
    +1

    Common problem…

    Report it to your local council if you must.

    How often do you notice gloves being used on these TV/celebrity cooking shows?¿

    • Porker on 15/06/2023 - 11:47
      +7

      "..How often do you notice gloves being used on these TV/celebrity cooking shows?¿.."

      Good point, but I suspect those cooks are paid via bank transfer or cheque. I don't think they'd handle the cash prior to handling the food :p

      • randomusername2017 on 15/06/2023 - 12:27
        +1

        Assume it's heavily edited, hard to tell how many lines they do cross. Certainly don't promote good food handling/safety.

        Watch what your average fast food worker is able to accomplish with one pair of gloves 🙀

    • JimmyF on 15/06/2023 - 13:31
      +7

      How often do you notice gloves being used on these TV/celebrity cooking shows?¿

      Chefs generally don't wear gloves, they wash their hands. Look into the next open kitchen when you are out. Gloves are generally for show to put the peoples mind at ease.

      Gloves are for 'lazy' people who don't understand how to wash their hands correctly, and the OP is correct. Should be a new set for each customer if they are handling money.

      But as the OP points out as soon as the gloves touch something that they are not meant to, they too need to be either washed or changed.

      Sadly lots of people think if they are wearing gloves, they don't need to change them. But a washed hand is just as clean as a fresh glove. Both are not after touching stuff.

      • randomusername2017 on 15/06/2023 - 17:36
        -3

        But a washed hand is just as clean as a fresh glove

        Hand washing alone (assume correctly) is not sufficient to remove pathogens, best practice includes clean gloves when handling ready to eat foods ( raw and cooked)

        • JimmyF on 16/06/2023 - 10:36
          -1

          Hand washing alone (assume correctly) is not sufficient to remove pathogens

          Then you haven't washed them correctly.

          best practice includes clean gloves when handling ready to eat foods ( raw and cooked)

          A billion chefs will disagree with you on this.

          For front of house, its all theatre aka for show

  • o53djz7qTPY4der on 15/06/2023 - 12:09
    +2

    When noticed the seller who handled my cash making the Sushi WITHOUT changing gloves

    When noticed the seller who handled my CASH making the Sushi without changing gloves.

    I've made a minor edit to highlight the most surprising part.

  • Aleigh123 on 15/06/2023 - 12:14
    +2

    Well, I know nothing about food safety regulations, but I know for a fact that cash is filthy as heck.
    I would at least advise the seller, and should their standards remain the same, surely it's acceptable to report it?

  • GordonD on 15/06/2023 - 13:03
    -2

    DSM-5 - the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition - calls this "germaphobia", and says it is the most common form of OCD.

    Think about it logically, if you can, OP. If that money was so contaminated that it could cause someone's food to result in them getting sick by cross-contamination via the tiny amount that ends up on the server's fingers, imagine what it would do to the next person it is handed out to. Should all money be de-contaminated before being passed from one person to the next? Surely that is more important than the server changing gloves to handle one customer's money, then having to put on another clean pair of gloves before handling the next customer's food.

    Sure, the risk of contamination by food handlers also handling money is real. But its so minuscule a risk that you've got to be more than a bit OCD to be worried about it.

    The real world is a dirty place. We have evolved to live in it. You don't make your children safer and healthier by protecting them from every germ you can, you just end up with children who get sick too easily because their immune systems have not been trained with low doses of germs to cope with higher doses when they inevitably encounter them somewhere. The way to live in the real world is to do something about situations where there is a high risk of contamination, and ignore the ones where the risk is small, because they might actually be protecting you.

    • randomusername2017 on 15/06/2023 - 13:30

      True about the cash handling.
      You're much more likely to get hit by pre existing staph or salmonella etc.

    • RowanLucas on 15/06/2023 - 13:34
      +4

      The OP still ate the food, not sure what you're trynna say with the germaphobia… OP is trying to get an opinion re: if this is common; and if there's any action he/she should take.

      Also why mention allergen exposure in young children when the OP is most likely an adult? What's the relevance?

      • ThithLord on 15/06/2023 - 13:37

        You're about to find out all about the New, world Order!! and You'll own nothing, and be happy!! I can just tell

    • snugglepuff on 15/06/2023 - 13:36

      https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227881000_Handling_…

      This suggests I am not being irrational. Even if I did have germaphobia, could you please respect that?

      • freefall101 on 15/06/2023 - 16:16

        What makes you feel disrespected, no insults were thrown on your germaphobia, it was a pretty rational explanation of how small the risk is.

        I'm not sure your link backs up the rationality either. They describe it as…

        this could represent a potential cause of sporadic cases of food borne illness

        I mean, you also handled the same money and ate your food. There's a risk, but there's also a risk the entire universe will blink out of existence due to false vacuum decay, it's not really rational to worry about such things all the time when the impact is small.

        I'd still let the store know though. It might be that the person is just handling things by themselves for a short period and usually the food prep and money handling is seperate. Food safety risks might be tiny for an individual, but over the whole population it adds up when everyone doesn't follow proper protocols.

      • larndis on 16/06/2023 - 08:09

        Did you wash your hands between handling the cash and eating the sushi?

        • snugglepuff on 16/06/2023 - 08:58

          I used chopsticks. And yes I do use hand sanitiser before touching my food. Nice try and thanks for your concern!

  • payless69 on 15/06/2023 - 13:17

    Meth traces make the best Sushi!

  • fredz0r on 15/06/2023 - 13:38
    +6

    Wearing gloves is a false sense of security. Food handlers are more likely wash their hands if not wearing gloves. If they aren't washing hands between handling money and making food that's another story.

    • Lockieasy on 15/06/2023 - 17:21

      This. Gloves just provide a false sense of security as they're often much more unhygenic.

  • Cluster on 15/06/2023 - 14:27
    +1

    My workplace would visit a local cafe during lunchtime, until we noticed the workers handling cash and then preparing sandwiches without washing hands or using gloves. We simply didn't go back there again, and the cafe closed soon afterwards. Maybe other people were turned off by this too.

    Vote with your wallet.

  • ForkSnorter on 15/06/2023 - 14:58
    +1

    Eating out is always a risk. I'd be more concerned about a food handler who has not washed their hands properly after being to the toilet, a chef who unintentionally spits saliva over the food while shouting out instructions, or a waiter with a cold whose nose is literally dripping snot into my food as they carry it.

    But we take these risks because no life properly lived is risk-free.

  • porkupine888 on 15/06/2023 - 15:17
    +2

    common at subway too - they wear gloves , handle your cash and still continue making/processing other subs… :(

    • CrowReally on 15/06/2023 - 15:50

      and they don't change gloves when making vegetarian wraps after making meat wraps,etc. Subway is terrible for this sort of thing.

      • Marty-69 on 15/06/2023 - 16:22
        +2

        While waiting for that toaster oven, they wiped the counter and toaster handles with the same gloves….. And then put the salads on your sub.

  • Kongzi on 15/06/2023 - 16:52
    +2

    These gloves have more destructive environmental power than a clean washed pair of hands.

  • 82norm on 16/06/2023 - 08:18
    +2

    Poppy got Sloppy.

  • LFO on 16/06/2023 - 13:34

    May be the problem is ordering/having "street food" equivalent but expect surgically clean serving.

    Someone has to pay. Something has to give.

  • DazMon on 16/06/2023 - 21:13

    Doesn't sound like a Japanese sushi maker…

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