FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – An FDA regulation focuses on the cleanliness of commercial ice machines, but business owners do not widely know it.
A local small business owner is doing his part to help area businesses comply with a little-known FDA regulation that states that commercial ice machines are to be cleaned regularly.
John Didion, owner of PurICE Machine Cleaning, is helping to spread the word to area businesses to help keep the ice you drink safe.
The Indiana Small Business Development Center (ISBDC) network released the following:
Ice machines create the perfect environment for mold, bacteria, and scale but they often go overlooked when it comes to routine cleaning and sanitizing. Dirty ice machines can house nasty germs like Salmonella, Norovirus, and even E.coli.
“I firmly believe most business owners want to do the right thing and provide a safe and healthy environment for their customers. However, I have found that many of them don’t know that ice is considered a food by the Food and Drug Administration, and it is regulated as such. I want to increase awareness of it and help businesses with a turn-key solution. Ultimately this helps provide clean, safe ice for our community,” says Didion.
FDA Food Law 2009 Chapter 4 specifies that ice machines must be cleaned and sanitized at the frequency recommended by the manufacturer, which is at least 2 times a year but could be as often as six times a year. Routine cleaning of the machines helps ensure the safety of the ice being served. This regulation applies to a broad range of industries that use commercial ice machines, including restaurants, clubs, gas stations, bars, and fitness centers among others.
One PurICE customer, Alan Schuette at American Legion Post 82, says they were concerned about the quality of the ice they use. “PurICE makes sure our machine and the ice are clean and sanitized,” he said.
PurICE performs a comprehensive cleaning on commercial ice machines, including a full breakdown of the machine to sanitize and descale all components. It also provides its version of a “Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval” for business owners to display so customers know their ice machine is PurICE-certified.
Didion was born and raised in Fort Wayne, IN. He worked in the restaurant and fitness center industries before starting PurICE in November 2019.
PurICE Machine Cleaning is a client of the Northeast Indiana Business Development Center and received business start-up assistance and marketing-related support.
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