Bacteria thrive there due to poor service.
Admit it: you sometimes grab coffee from a vending machine on the go, rushing to work, right? But those who are familiar with this setup don’t drink from them. Just as people who have seen how sausages are made never eat them. And factory workers producing beer don’t consume it either.
"I was absolutely shocked when I saw a guy refilling the coffee machine right in front of me, - reads a review about the machine at Sochi airport. - He went to the restroom and filled a 20-liter canister with water. Instead of milk for cappuccinos and lattes, he poured some indistinct powder from a bag. Then he wiped the machine with a dirty rag picked up from the floor, so that dirt fell onto the coffee cups. I will never drink this crap again in my life."
In fact, many have already realized: such machines usually use the cheapest ingredients: a primitive substance with a coffee flavor, a sublimated mixture of sugar, harmful flavorings, and cream substitutes - vegetable fats with maltodextrin. But that’s only part of the problem. The most frightening aspect is the unsanitary conditions, the neglect of basic hygiene.
- Coffee from a vending machine can cause pneumonia, acute allergic reactions, food poisoning, and diarrhea, - confirmed dietitian Alexandra Melnikova once again. - Pseudomonas bacteria thrive in damp tubes and waste trays; they can cause lung inflammation and are especially dangerous for people with weakened immune systems. Mold provokes allergies and irritation of the respiratory tract. E. coli can lead to poisoning and diarrhea. If the water tanks are not cleaned properly, algae and fungi start to grow. The water becomes greenish, but you won’t notice it: the brown liquid hides the glass.
A vending machine that is regularly serviced and cleaned is safe in itself: even low-quality drinks won’t cause significant harm. But who can guarantee cleanliness?
Closed and Forgotten
Journalists in Germany attached a sensor to a vending machine installed at a university, which was popular among students. It turned out that the door hadn’t been opened for more than eight months, although the rules state that the machine should be cleaned at least once every four weeks. This caused a scandal, and it was far from the only one.
In South Korea, taking coffee to go is part of the national culture. But black mold and so-called biofilm - entire communities of bacteria that cause up to 80% of all chronic infections that are poorly treatable with antibiotics - have been found in their machines.
No Need to Rush
In Russia and around the world, thousands of similar complaints can be found: the crunch of sand on teeth, mold in systems, slippery flakes falling into cups, cockroaches and ants inhabiting the machines. So if you really need to grab a coffee on the go, choose a drink without milk (espresso, Americano). And also: try not to be the first one after the products are loaded into the machine. Let a couple of impatient customers in front of you "flush the system".
Leave a comment