Buffets and Food allergies

[kaffinito]

(If this isn't in the right place, please move it! )

Someone on another thread has posted a wonderful little tip to avoid germs at buffets. She recommends bringing the fork from the table (cleaned of course) and then using it to serve herself from the various buffet dishes. Can anyone else see the problems inherent with her little "tip"?

I tell, you - I blew my stack when I read that one! As someone with a life threatening allergy, the thought of anyone being so thoughtless and careless just baffles me. She never thought about cross contamination at all - I wonder how many people she has affected by doing that? .

What do you guys think?

 

[mechurchlady]

You mean as in using the same fork to dish out beans, rice, pasta and pork chops? ooh.
Let me find that thread, ooh not nice idea and I freaked out when an old man stood in a buffet line banging away with tongs on a flour tortilla.

 

[Selket]

And if her fork picks up a germ from one of the dishes it will spread to everything.

I think she is not around anyone with serious food allergies so it probably has not crossed her mind. I would post in a kindly manner what you have mentioned (that sticking the same fork in many dishes will cross contaminate those dishes for those with food allergies).

I'm trying to think how bad this would be - definitely worse if the same fork is stuck in many desserts because that is where we find the most peanut/tree nut items.

Perhaps she could ask the waiter for a bucket of forks to attach to her tool belt and then pick up each new food item with a clean fork?

 

[pudge the fish]

EWW
and then if she eats with the fork is she going to go back after eating and get more food??
How can you clean a fork after putting it in your mouth??

not to mention the allergy part... Gee I enjoy your peanuts mixed in with my foods that will cause me to get REALLY SICK.

Some people have no clue- to be honest I never thought about it till I found out I had allergies to certain foods.

I am turning into a food allergies cross contact advocate

(WDW does not call it contamination but cross contact)

Did you let them know how dangerous this can be?

 

[mechurchlady]

We ask for the first seating if we are at a buffet. And using the fork supplied on your table setting doesnt cross contaminate anything. Are you assuming I would return for seconds with a dirty fork. Thats not how we roll. We dont re-use plates either. Do you set your used plate down on the buffet to refill?

We dont want you to have our cooties, (((hug)))

That is her response. She does not apparently understand that one touch can kill someone or cause pain and suffering. I posted on that threat the link to the articles on Sabrina Shannon who died when a cafeteria worker used tongues to touch cheese curls and then her fries.

I would be screaming for fresh food and would not eat anything that she touched. Her kid has suppressed immune system but she cannot understand the dangers of cross contamination. Glad I aint been in any buffets lately. Last one was too much for me with them tongs banging away.

 

[merryweather20]

Eeew! I don't have allergies but I don't much like the idea of someone bringing their germy personal fork over to the buffet. They're not designed to serve so, she's obviously dunking, and grazing her hand directly in the food.

I'd figure that someone concerned about germs would bring a small paper or cloth to use as a barrier between hand and handle, or wear gloves.

 

[pudge the fish]

where is this posted? I don't want to Flame or yell - just want to read what these people are saying

 

[Schmeck]

Doesn't matter if she uses her own fork or the serving utensils - cross contamination is about 100% guaranteed with at least something at buffets. Just putting the fresh tray on the warming rack can cause cross-contamination if the server doesn't change gloves between every dish.

So I don't see the big deal - if you have food allergies you should not eat off the buffet, period, no matter what utensil someone uses before you. Ask to speak to the chef and arrange to have something safely plated straight from the kitchen.

 

[merryweather20]

Doesn't matter if she uses her own fork or the serving utensils - cross contamination is about 100% guaranteed with at least something at buffets. Just putting the fresh tray on the warming rack can cause cross-contamination if the server doesn't change gloves between every dish.

So I don't see the big deal - if you have food allergies you should not eat off the buffet, period, no matter what utensil someone uses before you. Ask to speak to the chef and arrange to have something safely plated straight from the kitchen.

I've seen waiters pull trays after someone has used the tongs in just one other dish. I think most people with life threatening allergies are more careful, but it will still give plenty of other allergy sufferers a miserable afternoon.

Its not just a matter of allergies, its also about cross contamination of flavours and the presentation of the dish. The serving spoons and tongs are the size they are for a reason to prevent keep the hands up and away from the food. Her small size fork doesn't have that going for it, I'm willing to bet her hands have been in more than one dish using her method.

 

[AlternateEgo]

Doesn't matter if she uses her own fork or the serving utensils - cross contamination is about 100% guaranteed with at least something at buffets. Just putting the fresh tray on the warming rack can cause cross-contamination if the server doesn't change gloves between every dish.

So I don't see the big deal - if you have food allergies you should not eat off the buffet, period, no matter what utensil someone uses before you. Ask to speak to the chef and arrange to have something safely plated straight from the kitchen.

You are right, people with allergies should not be able to enjoy dinner at a Disney buffet.

 

[Selket]

Doesn't matter if she uses her own fork or the serving utensils - cross contamination is about 100% guaranteed with at least something at buffets.

So I don't see the big deal - if you have food allergies you should not eat off the buffet, period,

I agree that cross contamination is very likely at buffets. I think whether you should eat off of them would depend on how allergic you are and how many dishes are there on the buffet with your allergen in it.

I don't think the person who uses the fork was re-using it after it went in her mouth. But of course I don't think she should be using her fork in each dish.

 

[Talking Hands]

You are right, people with allergies should not be able to enjoy dinner at a Disney buffet.

I really think you misunderstood Smeck. WHat he is trying to say is that if you have life threatening allergies and are concerned about cross contamination you should speak with a chef at the buffet and ask that the items you want be served from fresh trys in the kitchen and not from the trays that are already set out.

An example. I was a Crystal Palace and an item I wanted was next to the peel and eat shrimp and people would be carrying the shrimp over that dish to get them on their plate. I asked if I could have some from a fresh safe tray and it was taken care of.

 

[bavaria]

I gave up trying to educate that poster on that thread, because all I got back was sarcasm and other unpleasantness.

I pointed out that using her (clean from the table) fork in a meat dish and then using the same in a veg dish can cross contaminate the veg, let alone the danger for those with allergies.

The restaurant is obliged to replace that dish due to the contamination which may have resulted. The problems arise when the serving staff do not see her habits, or other guests do not realise, and someone takes an item thought to be 'safe' which has in fact been touched by her no longer clean fork.

I really don't like talking about one thread on another thread, but I tried many times to educate this poster in a pleasant way and all I got back was sarcasm and unpleasantness. I suggest that anyone who sees this type of behaviour at a buffet quietly advises the staff so that they can take action and so that they can also speak with the patron.

 

[mechurchlady]

The problem is that some people do not want mashed taters in with their spinach. I said my peace on that thread and that is that. We can use that kind of ignorance to discuss here what is safe and not safe and how to deal iwth such matters.

I would eat at any buffet that I knew was gluten free and soy free. I however do not like the idea that someone is mixing marinara sauce with my spinach. I pay a lot of money to eat in a restaurant and do not want someone turning my food into a medley of foods, some of which I do not like.

As stated the tongs have long handles so that people do not get their clothes and hands near the food. What happens if her fork slips under that mound of taters? Do other guests have to wait extra time for her to scoop forkful after forkful of food instead of a heaping ladle full of food? What happens when she has a fork full of meat dripping, how does she really keep that from getting the area dirty? I would hate to spend good money on clothes only to have her fork drippings all over my clothes. How does she get that yummy pasta sauce if she is using a fork? How do you get peas to stay on a fork?

I cook for my mom and know all about dripping food and stuff and just do not understand the idea behind her demanding clean fork. What is to stop the food from being contaminated in the kitchen for example or that her dishes were not washed in hot water because a busboy messed up. Grosses me out more that the food contamintation issue.

My SID is twitching and flopping and freaking out over the thought of foods being mushed and finding strange foods in my dinner. What is the red stuff in my potato salad and my spinach tastes like beef?

 

[bavaria]

As stated the tongs have long handles so that people do not get their clothes and hands near the food. What happens if her fork slips under that mound of taters?

One of the items considered a violation on food safety inspections in FL is if the handle of a provided serving utensil touches the food and is not replaced. Obviously her actions would also be considered a violation.

The challenge is convincing someone that their actions that they perform under the guise of protecting their own family are potentially harmful to others.

 

[KirstenB]

where is this posted? I don't want to Flame or yell - just want to read what these people are saying

I don't know how to link, but it's on the Resorts Board, under a thread titled, "do you bring your own bedding?" This lady apparently brings her own salmonella and e coli!

She has a giant post there about how she brings down a million cleaning supplies, bedding, etc for her room. Then instead of using buffet utensils, she brings her fork from her table to plate her food. Don't get me started. I still am not clear how a true germaphobe could ever eat from a buffet, self-provided utensils, or not...

 

[pudge the fish]

I did read thru all the posts-
very different takes on many different things...

and that's all I am saying

 

[Schmeck]

You are right, people with allergies should not be able to enjoy dinner at a Disney buffet.

Talking Hands, thank you for coming to my defense. AlternateEgo actually edited out part of my post in the quote to make it sound a lot more harsh than the original intent.

Of course people with allergies should be able to enjoy dinner at any restaurant, but they are responsible for making sure their own food is as safe as possible. It's common sense that when a lot of people are serving themselves at a buffet that cross-contamination is a real likelyhood. Hence my note (that AlternateEgo deleted) to ask for the chef to have safe food plated.

P.S. no biggie, but I'm actually a she, LOL!

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

That is her response. She does not apparently understand that one touch can kill someone or cause pain and suffering. I posted on that threat the link to the articles on Sabrina Shannon who died when a cafeteria worker used tongues to touch cheese curls and then her fries.

I would be screaming for fresh food and would not eat anything that she touched. Her kid has suppressed immune system but she cannot understand the dangers of cross contamination. Glad I aint been in any buffets lately. Last one was too much for me with them tongs banging away.

ArGh! This is why THIS time around I will request to have something made in the kitchen for DD because that poster did not get what you were saying. Did you explain if she scoops out bread pudding with her fork then goes to an item that is safe for a child who ana to (idk whats in bread pudding, eggs I am sure) eggs then that safe food choice is no longer safe for that child (or adult for that matter).....grrr....

what's the link to that board? Haha should I revolt and protest too, that is so wrong

 

[kaffinito]

That's what got me so riled up! I was still fuming about it when my husband came home! I wouldn't have posted here at all, but I just couldn't get over a germ-a-phobe eating a buffet in the first place, and then possibly cross contaminating everyone's food. I'm glad I'm not the only one who is concerned about this issue.

My husband didn't get it either. His first thought was germs. until I pointed out to him that cross contamination was the bigger threat to people with food allergies.

I'm glad you were trying to educate the poster bavaria, I just don't have the "cool" to do it properly.

I agree with schmeck on the buffet issue. They are dicey places to eat at any place other than WDW IMHO. I know of one that's safe, and that's Boma. That's pretty much the only one I trust. They have an awesome chef there named Eugene who really takes his time explaining all of the dishes and pointing out hidden dangers. He doesn't make you feel like a leper for having a food allergy either.