Retailers

THE SCIENCE PROVES IT

Over the years, academic studies have documented dozens of foodborne illness outbreaks caused by contaminated ice. Ice produced and bagged at retail locations, such as convenience stores, liquor stores, fast-food restaurants, and self-serve machines, often exceeds acceptable levels of bacteria. For consumers, this continues to trigger serious illness and even death.

At IPIA, our mission is to help protect consumers. Our member ice manufacturers are committed to producing a quality, safe ice product - completing annual audits to maintain accreditation according to our Packaged Ice Quality Control Standards (PIQCS).

To secure the safety of your consumers, ask for a copy of your ice manufacturer's IPIA PIQCS accreditation certificate or check out our online member directory.

SCARY STORIES OF BAD ICE

See: 1992; 2006; 2014

Does it REALLY matter where you buy your ice from?
As a retailer, you demand and sell top quality bottled water. Demand the same of your ‘frozen water’ packaged ice. Most major retailers prefer to sell IPIA-accredited packaged ice for their protection and for the protection of their customers. When shopping for a packaged ice supplier, ask yourself - would you risk selling an inferior and even potentially contaminated food product to your customers?

The quality and safety of the packaged ice produced by members of the International Packaged Ice Association is of utmost priority for the protection of the consumer. IPIA members chose to adhere to strict sanitation standards as defined in our PIQCS (Packaged Ice Quality Control Standards) program. These standards are audited annually in all IPIA member plants by NSF, the National Sanitation Foundation, a worldwide leader in food safety solutions and monitoring. These standards are FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) compliant.

Packaged ice when purchased is used not only for consumption, but also for refrigeration - and the quality of ice used for refrigeration purposes is just as important to reduce the risk of cross-contamination with other food products that may come in contact with the ice.

The freezing process kills bacteria, right? WRONG.
Freezing only slows down the rate of bacterial growth. Studies show that ice can be contaminated with E. coli, salmonella, staph, yeasts and molds, among other pathogens. Ice machines look like the image shown because they are not cleaned and sanitized weekly and have great potential to make your customers sick.

And then there is the food safety training necessary for employees who might be bagging the ice for sale. Handling of the ice can cause contamination if proper hygiene and sanitary procedures are not followed. Recorded outbreaks traced back to infected workers have included salmonella, hepatitis A, and E. coli.

Did you know that most ice machine carbon filters remove the chorine from the public water supply coming into the machine? With no chorine (a disinfectant) in the water freezing into cubes, the wet environment of the ice machine surfaces grow mold, slime and bio-films quickly - all potentially harmful if consumed.

Have you considered the ice packaging itself?
Stock bags purchased from commercial supply houses often do not meet federal labeling laws. Plus, since ice packaging is a food contact surface, can you guarantee it is FDA-approved food grade? These issues need to be taken into consideration for the safety of the consumer purchasing this product from you.

Thinking of making/bagging your own ice?
On the surface it might appear in store production will produce spectacular profits. But, take a moment to consider the true cost of producing your own ice. What do the manufacturers of in-store ice machines include in their figure? Only the variable costs – water, electricity, bags, and some labor. Consider the cost of the ice maker, the storage freezer, the store space, the maintenance and cleaning of the equipment, personal property taxes, insurance, shrinkage, and how many bags you will need to sell to pay off the equipment purchases.

Looking to sell IPIA member-manufactured packaged ice?
Not only is packaged ice a high-margin item for retailers and a top seller in the frozen food category, but the many partner products (e.g. soda, beer, bottled water) create high extra ring totals. Click here to find an IPIA-accredited ice provider near you.

HORRIFYING FINDS BY RESEARCHERS

See: 1992; 2004; 2011; 2014; 2017: Cal Poly; Clemson; BBC

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