Food Safety

Hot weather can spoil beach snacks, tourists' appetites for boardwalk food
By THOMAS BARLAS
Press of Atlantic City Staff Writer, (609) 272-7201
Published: Sunday, August 6, 2006

David and Linda Graham walked down the Wildwood Boardwalk last week under the blistering sun of a summer heat wave as they munched slices of pepperoni pizza picked from a row of pies on display at an open-air eatery.

The Deptford couple said they had no worries about the soaring temperature spoiling their snack.

“I looked it over pretty good,” David Graham said. “If it had looked like it's been out a little too long, forget it.”

Graham's once-over may not be exact science, but it's one easy thing nutritionists say people can do to prevent getting sick from food left out too long in the heat.

“Smell and color,” said Joyce Brody, clinical nutrition manager for AtlantiCare Regional Medical Centers. “If you're smelling it and it's not quite right, there's a reason for that.”

That's particularly important during the summer.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food-borne illnesses spike in the summer as food-borne bacteria grows fastest at temperatures between 90 and 110 degrees. Bacteria also need moisture to flourish, and summer weather — especially in New Jersey — is often hot and humid.

Local and county health officials who deal with boardwalk eateries say changing temperatures and humidity levels pose additional challenges to operators of those establishments: It can be more difficult to keep hot food hot and cold food cold, and to throw out any foods — from sausage to garlic knots — on display before they go bad. They also must deal with blowing sand and flies.

Some of those concerns could be reduced under a series of regulations being considered by the state Department of Health and Senior Services. The department could require screens to stop insects from getting into the open-air eateries, time-dating foods to make sure food doesn't sit out too long, and having food servers and preparers wear gloves. The regulations could be in place next year.

Those regulations also could further reduce what officials with health departments in Cape May County and Atlantic City say is a surprisingly low number of people who develop what is commonly referred to as food poisoning from boardwalk fare.

“Remarkably, with (millions) of visitors, it's minuscule,” Atlantic City Health Department Director Ron Cash said.

“We're not seeing anything above normal,” acting Cape May County Health Coordinator Kevin Thomas said. “One or two, here or there.”

Thomas said high turnover rates during busy times of the day usually ensure food doesn't sit out too long.

Joan Thaler, an inspector with the Cape May County Department of Health, said one of the things she stresses to boardwalk open-air food operators is to be aware of what's happening during off-peak hours, when food moves more slowly and there's a greater chance it might stay out too long.

“I encourage owners to think of the time the food has been left out, and to be aware of that,” she said. “Just like you would do in your own house.

“I think it's a matter of establishing rapport with the owner, and once you've got good communications and explain what your concerns are, and listen to their concerns, we can come to an understanding about what can be done to solve the problem.”

Mike Rogers owns Sorrento's on the Wildwood Boardwalk, and he only puts a few slices of pizza on display at a time to attract customers because of the heat last week. He's also installed a refrigerator near the open display area so he can control the quality of his fare.

Rogers said the food preparation and handling courses he's taken over the years made him aware of how important it is to keep food fresh, and not just for the health of his patrons.

“In this business, I can't afford any problems,” he said.

Not everyone is satisfied.

Anna Lindell, of Upper Darby, Pa., was on the Wildwood Boardwalk on Thursday with her two children, 8-year-old John and 11-year-old Amy.

Lindell wouldn't let her children eat any of the boardwalk fare that was on display because of the heat. She said she just didn't think it was safe.

“It't too much of a chance to take,” said said, adding she'd rather buy her children water ice or ice cream as a snack and feed them when she got back to her hotel.

Brody said customers should never feel badly about asking a boardwalk eatery operator how long the food has been on display, or even if they'll cook up something fresh.

Linda Graham said she and her husband have done that on occasion.

“They always say it's fresh,” she said. “What else do you expect them to say?”

To e-mail Thomas Barlas at The Press:TBarlas@pressofac.com