Cooking tip

You may think that all ice is the same
but if you have contaminated ice
you and your family could be risking your health.

As the weather begins to heat up
so does ice consumption to keep beverages and food cold and fresh. Whether it's a backyard BBQ
a picnic at the park or a daily glass of iced tea
people need safe
clean ice.

Recent news reports have shown that some ice in fast-food restaurants is dirtier than toilet water. Whether processed and packaged from a moldy ice machine
mishandled through the use of dirty buckets or even hand-scooped by dirty hands
it is difficult to know exactly what you're buying and consuming.

Here are a few tips for purchasing clean
safe ice:

• Ice should be clear in color as well as odorless and tasteless.

• The bag should be properly closed and secure.

• The bag should have the manufacturer's name
address and phone number.

• The bag should be free of any foreign objects.

• The bag should have a product code.

According to a recent study conducted by Michigan State University
there is a heightened concern with safety of foods among consumers. In fact
63
percent of the consumers interviewed are very or fairly concerned about the safety of the foods they eat and almost half of the respondents said they do not buy foods that are likely to be unsafe.

This summer
the International Packaged Ice Association (IPIA) wants you to know that all ice is not created equal and that ice shoppers need to be selective. When buying packaged ice
look for a product that has been packaged by a certified IPIA member and carries the IPIA seal.

The seal means that the packaged ice consumers are buying meets the association's strict quality and safety policy. The stringent Packaged Ice Quality Control Standards (PIQCS) are mandated for all IPIA members to ensure safe and quality ice. The standards regulate employees' personal hygiene
sanitary operations of the facilities
equipment and utensils used in making ice
quality of the water source and continuous microbiological testing of the finished product.