Handling money and food - unsanitary?

[Agent 510]

I have had this debate with a friend over how bad it really is if someone who works the cash register at a bakery or cafe handles money, then touches your food.

Does anyone know whether you can then get sick from eating the food (i.e. a cold or something worse?).

My friend thinks so. I suspect it's not that much of a risk, but have no knowledge to back that up.

[alwayscooking]

This is too soon to start the same topic on a new thread (as mentioned above - last post 3/22/09) - can we go there to post instead?

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/5970

[NVJims]

Here's the big question.... At a venue where you pay for the food and then eat it (fast food, street vendors, etc) do you leave your food unattended at a table, and go to the head to wash you hands that YOU handled the money with when you paid???

[Ruth Lafler]

LOL. Good point! The food service worker's hands are probably cleaner than yours.

[Ruth Lafler]

Well, it happens all the time. Have you or anyone you know ever gotten sick? I'm sure that people will argue that when you put it under a microscope in a lab, money has germs that are potentially harmful, but literally billions of instances worldwide hasn't shown any significant risk under real world conditions. There are bacteria everywhere -- there are millions on the surface of your skin. Most of them are completely harmless (some are even beneficial and necessary), and even the disease causing bacteria need a critical mass to make you sick -- more than you would get transferred from a coin to a hand to your food.

[three of us]

Oh, lordy, don't bring this topic up again, lol! There were some strident opinions, some of which suggested those of us concerned about the money handler also handling our food were loco.

[Lucia]

This was addressed really recently: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/5970...