The microbiological quality of ice used to cool drinks and ready-to-eat food from retail and catering premises in the United Kingdom

A survey of 4,346 samples of ice from retail and catering premises examined 3,528 samples (81%) used to cool drinks and 144 samples (3%) from food dis plays. For 674 samples (15%), the origin was not recorded. Most samples of ice used to cool drinks or ready-to-eat food on displays did not contain co liforms, Escherichia coli, or enterococci. Of the ice used to cool drinks, 9% contained coliforms, 1% E. coli, and 1% enterococci in excess of 10(2) C FU/100 ml, and 11% had an aerobic plate count at 37 degrees C in excess of 10(3) CFU/ml. The microbiological quality of ice used to cool drinks was po orer when melt water was present in the ice buckets. Ice used in food displ ays was more contaminated than ice used to cool drinks, with 23% containing coliforms, 5% E. coli, and 8% enterococci at 10(2) CFU/100 mi or more. Twe nty-nine percent of samples had an aerobic plate count greater than 10(3) C FU/ml. Ice that had been used to cool shellfish was of a lower microbiologi cal quality than samples used to cool ready-to-eat fish, salads, or dairy p roduce. Samples of ice produced in commercial production facilities were of higher microbiological quality than samples of ice that were not. The micr obiological quality of ice was dependent on the type of use, the, type of p remises, and the type and place of production. Although mast ice samples we re of acceptable microbiological quality, evidence from this study suggests that the microbiological quality of ice prepared and used at certain premi ses in the UK is a cause: for concern.