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Slime is mostly an airborne contaminant problem

Originally Posted by upnort

I've seen the pink slime many times and it was never in a bakery. Maybe bakeries have issues with yeast and crap growing in their machines but all the ones I've seen were in convience stores, and bars, no yeast there. MadHat was saying the yeast was coming from people not washing their hands after using the bathroom, he wasn't talking about bakeries. Sorry, still not "buying it"

Bars and pubs have yeast in the air from beer on tap. Convenience stores often have baking on site, which releases yeast into the air. I was talking to a guy from Australia at NAFEM last month and he said that they had a few ice machines that they had to clean every 10-14 days because they got so dirty. I couldn't believe that they go dirty so fast be he reassured me. They replaced the old Q series Mani that they had with a brand new Indigo with Luminice installed and they only have to clean the ice machine every 7 month now. Not bad in my opinion - that only a >92% decrease in cleaning!!!

I've worked on a couple ice machines, so I belive you guys when you say they can be disgusting.

However, since were talking about the unknown nastyness thats close to home, we have a new acct. and its a large grocery store. I was given the task of washing evap. coils. The coil in the bakery mid-temp were pretty bad. I think because of the yeast that was prevously mentioned. but, by far the most disgusting thing i've ever cleaned were the coils in the meat cutting room. They are contsantly washing the floors, walls and tables so the moisture carries all kinds of debris into the coils. It looked like dirty fungis and/or bacteria had every thing it needed to flourish. The drain pans were full of slime. Oh yeah, i forgot to mention the blood and what looked like chunks of meat. When i got home my wife said i smelled like a raw meat.

No worries... it's all clean now.

I so feel your pain Venzuh. Usually when I see that the alien life form hasn't grown quite enough to start turnning orange. Bars are the worst, though we did get one at the local airport that was pretty bad. It does make one wonder whether they should use ice from a resturant.

HurtinHavac, the short answer is Close proximity. Most of soda fountains also have an ice machine where the same issues exist. The nearest point for bacteria to travel to reach the soda is at the noozles for the soda dispenser, which if the operator maintains a clean surface, the risk is marginal. The big risk of filth and growth is the ice machine.

Pink slime is tobacco related contamination. None of it bothers me. What doesn't kill you just makes you {me} stronger, and I am a gorilla when it comes to germs/bacteria.

Yes it does. It's nasty & completely normal when no maintenance is involved lol. I've been doing ice machines for years & the only clean machines I've ever encountered were either brand new or recently cleaned. One account we do sells bagged ice & those machines are in a 35° WIC & I'm certain the cold temp greatly inhibits the growth because there are some that haven't been cleaned in some time that don't look bad at all. They typically can get wiped out, sanitized & ran through nickel safe wash

Originally Posted by hvac wiz 79

Where do you think the flavor originates! Lol

Dude...yeach! Gah! Blah! {shiver, gag}

Come on now - I'm serious. I don't know anything about refrigeration apart from the general refrigeration cycle.

Does this stuff make direct contact with the ice or fluids we drink? Or is it just haging around in the general vicinity?

Originally Posted by hurtinhvac

Are you telling me the water supply passes over this stuff?

And soda fountains? How does the fluid come into contact with any nastiness?

What about plain old water fountains?

That's just GD gross!

Where do you think the flavor originates! Lol

Please explain what the hell I'm seeing...

Are you telling me the water supply passes over this stuff?

And soda fountains? How does the fluid come into contact with any nastiness?

What about plain old water fountains?

That's just GD gross!

I am also a confirmed tap water only kind of guy. Way too many ice machine call in my past....

Have always wondered why the ice machine makers do not incorporate UV into their heads. Seems as if it would keep the kritters at bay if not the crust..

Originally Posted by btack

Yummy I'll take coke no ice

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Ever seen the nozzle removed on a fountain dispenser? Better take your own bottled drink in if your worried.

Originally Posted by upnort

Sorry but I'm not buying into the yeast theory. It's in the water supply.

While it's quite possible to get water-borne bacteria from the water supply which may induce algae growth, the primary source for ice machines is air-borne bacteria...particularly yeast spores from bread baking or from beer.

Here's a Tech Tip from Hoshizaki which discusses it. (See p.2):

http://www.hoshizakiamerica.com/tech...ll/tips131.pdf

I can certainly believe that......I haven't seen it cuz I haven't done any work in bakeries but it makes sense. I just have a hard time believing the handwashing thing causing it.

Originally Posted by upnort

I've seen the pink slime many times and it was never in a bakery. Maybe bakeries have issues with yeast and crap growing in their machines but all the ones I've seen were in convience stores, and bars, no yeast there. The OP was saying the yeast was coming from people not washing their hands after using the bathroom, he wasn't talking about bakeries. Sorry, still not "buying it"

I don't know anything about people not washing their hands. Guess I should have read a little deeper. I was merely referencing the fact that areas with allot of yeast in the air tend to have ice machine that have thing growing in them at an alarming rate. This is where I would recommends luminice

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I've seen the pink slime many times and it was never in a bakery. Maybe bakeries have issues with yeast and crap growing in their machines but all the ones I've seen were in convience stores, and bars, no yeast there. MadHat was saying the yeast was coming from people not washing their hands after using the bathroom, he wasn't talking about bakeries. Sorry, still not "buying it"

Originally Posted by upnort

Sorry but I'm not buying into the yeast theory. It's in the water supply.

Have you ever been to a panera or other bakery. Check those machines after 4 months and tell me you don't "buy it"

My pic was not yeast related.




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Sorry but I'm not buying into the yeast theory. It's in the water supply.

Yummy I'll take coke no ice

Attachment 259141

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Originally Posted by 2sac

I hope you released that pink snot into the wild. It's a living thing you know. Sure would hate to think you killed it.

According to "MicrobeWiki, our very own government has done this.
They filled balloons of the bacterium Serratia Marcescen, then exploded them over SanFrancisco to track it's growth. Then found out it was a possible cause of pneumonia, and urinary tract infections.

Originally Posted by madhat

The pink slime is yeast, a sure sign employees are not washing their hands, after going to the bathroom. Don't blame it on a gender, as both have yeast in their systems.

Please Go more into this I am sure alot of people are wondering what you mean?????EH

i dont get it. how can yeast go inside the machine Please explain. we might all enjoy the explaination (-: