The sanitary handling of ice. All workers who handle ice should be taught the following precautions:
• Wash hands before obtaining ice.
• Hold the ice scoop by the handle and do not touch other parts of the scoop.
• Do not handle the ice with hands.
• Do not return unused ice to ice storage chest or ice machine.
The sanitation of equipment. The following practices should be part of the facility’s operations:
• Keep the access doors to ice storage chests and ice machines closed except when removing ice.
• Ice scoops should be smooth and protected against contact with contaminated surfaces such as floors, access door handles, service carts and non-food contact surfaces, to cite a few examples. Scoops should be kept on an uncovered stainless steel, impervious plastic or fiberglass tray when not in use. The tray and scoop should be cleaned daily in the kitchen scullery dishwasher.
• Remove all extraneous equipment and items from around or in the ice storage chests and ice-making machines, and if possible, limit access to them.
• Clean the ice storage chests on preferably a weekly schedule, but no less than monthly.
• Consider routine microbiologic sampling of the ice and ice contact surfaces of the machine. Although this is not necessary, it can provide guidance on cleaning frequency and methods.