FDA Food Code: Disposables A Must. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s 1997 Food Code-which serves as a model for state and local public health standards-authoritatively spells out the sanitary and health advantages of foodservice disposables. Read more...

Douglas L. Archer, Former FDA Deputy Director (Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition). "I am hopeful that by now, because of increased publicity, Americans are aware that food-borne disease is a growing problem." Read more...

Decontamination of Plastic and Wooden Cutting Boards for Kitchen Use. J. of Food Protection, Vol. 57, January 1994. The concern with cutting boards, at least in home kitchens, is that bacteria of animal origin may cause cross-contamination. Fluid ("juice") from raw meat or poultry remaining on the work surface might transfer disease agents to other foods that would not be cooked further before being eaten. Some bacteria might even multiply between being deposited on the surface and contaminating another food.

Cross-contamination Experiments. J. of Food Protection, Vol. 53, December 1990. After removal of raw chicken products from (traditional) boards and plates, C. jejuni was isolated from 38 (50%) of the 76 tested cutting-boards and from 25 (46%) of the 54 tested plates. The isolation rates for Salmonella from these surfaces were much lower, namely 6% (4 of 71) and 5% (3 of 57).

FDA Food Code: Disposables A Must. Foodservice & Packaging Institute, Inc., Sanitation.

In situations in which the reuse of multi-use items could result in food-borne illnesses to consumers, single-use articles must be used to assure safety. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration 1997 Food Code)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s 1997 Food Code-which serves as a model for state and local public health standards-authoritatively spells out the sanitary and health advantages of foodservice disposables.

Most food-borne illnesses are caused by mishandling food. However, the FDA now confirms that improperly cleaned and sanitized foodservice items can also transmit food-borne disease, a threat that disposables can help minimize.

If cups, glasses, plates, flatware and other reusable items cannot be properly cleaned and sanitized due to inadequate facilities or equipment, the FDA specifically directs foodservice operators to use foodservice disposables.

 

Statement About Cut & Toss Disposable Cutting Boards. By Douglas L. Archer, Former FDA Deputy Director (Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition). Currently, Professor and Chair at the University of Florida Food Science and Human Nutrition Department.

I am hopeful that by now, because of increased publicity, Americans are aware that food-borne disease is a growing problem. The Cut and Toss Disposable cutting board can be an important part of how people can protect themselves from harmful micro-organisms associated with raw, animal derived products such as meats, poultry and fish.

Standard cutting boards, when used to cut raw poultry and meats, can lead to cross-contamination of ready to eat foods like salad vegetables unless they are well sanitized between uses. Unfortunately, few people either know how to adequately sanitize their cutting board or take the time to do it.

The Cut and Toss concept, intended as a "one-use" cutting board, will effectively prevent potentially hazardous cross-contamination. Since the Cut and Toss can also be shaped such that raw meat and poultry juices will not leave the cutting area, further protection from cross-contamination will be achieved.

Cut and Toss will be a valuable tool in preventing food-borne illness in the home.

Douglas Archer
May 3, 1998