Handling other people's food

[Luís]

So, I find it a bit odd that people who sell food in Northern Europe (I had this experience last year in Germany and this year in Scandinavia at least) seem to handle the items they're selling with their bare hands.

For instance, while buying some ice cream in Denmark I noticed the guy grabbed the cone with his hand and a few seconds later used the same hand to receive the money I gave him... Same thing in Germany, people would grab, open and butter the pretzel I was about to eat with their hands and then handle the cash register and receive my money.

This wouldn't happen here in Portugal, since people would most often use a plastic/paper protection or gloves and/or the person who handles the food won't be the same that receives the money.



So, how does it work in your country?

[basica]

If the same person who was handling your food here also then handling the financial transaction, they would wear gloves while handling your food and then remove them when taking your money, and would put gloves back on when handling food again.

[Varislintu]

I think people are supposed to not handle with bare hands. But it's a bit lax.

I remember when I worked in a fast food restaurant. We were specifically schooled to grab the ice cream waffle cups and the salad bread rolls with a napkin. But then, I was often asked to slice tomatoes with the tomato slicer, and nobody ever told me to wash hands or wear gloves. (I also handled money.)

[md0]

I think people are supposed to not handle with bare hands. But it's a bit lax.

Pretty much this. We are not oblivious to the concept of cross-contamination, but when you have a line of 50 people waiting, you cut corners you wouldn't normally cut if there were 3 parallel lines, or only 10 people waiting.

For that matter, at my fast food job, we did receive a 7hr training on Food Safety and the HACCP procedures that are basically a flowchart of how to enforce Food Safety and document the steps you have to take every time.

I do think that despite everything wrong with that place, our kitchen takes food safety very seriously. Can't say the same about the cashiers though. The supervisor sprayed the Coca-Cola machine with ant-killer spray just two days ago. And I do mean the taps from which the drinks come out. Apparently no one died because of that, but it doesn't strike me as very safe.

Anyway, the place where most vendors will touch your food without gloves is at traditional festivals, where you have street food stands.

Also, clients are also a thing to worry about. I think most of us are not bothered to use the gloves and the gripper thingy they have at bakeries to grab our croissants and whatnot.

[mōdgethanc]

Whenever I see any food service worker handling food without gloves, it's enough to make me want to go elsewhere. (Asking for them to use gloves makes me feel like one of those Weirdos who have OCD or something, so I don't want to do that; besides, it makes me think their hygiene is lax as a whole.) I don't even want to know all the disgusting shit that goes on in restaurant kitchens behind closed doors, though, so at least they have the courtesy to do it in front of me.