Why Master Bates Washes Ice

In a test of ice cubes from 49 restaurants, the Chicago Sun-Times found that more than one of every five samples contained high levels of bacteria.

Samples taken at three of the restaurants contained an undetermined amount of fecal coliform, according to the findings of a government-certified laboratory that performed the tests.

By comparison, a water sample taken from a toilet in a men's room at the Sun-Times tested cleaner than the ice obtained at 21 of the restaurants and bars.

-Ice from 11 restaurants or bars had high levels of "total coliform bacteria" -- more than 200 bacteria colonies per milliliter tested. These included an Applebee's, a Chipotle Mexican Grill, an Outback Steakhouse, a Burger King, and the Drake Hotel.

-Nearly all of the ice tested that came from self-serve ice machines had low levels of bacteria or none at all.

Experts say they don't expect this to make people sick in large numbers, but it could explain those minor stomach ailments people often attribute to a bug.

"It means that obviously someone's not washing their hands properly, and there's fecal mater," Frances Guichard, director of food protection at the Chicago Health Department said. "If there's enough, it can make someone sick."

In the Sun-Times' tests, reporters ordered drinks with ice on the side or got the ice from self-serve machines. Taking care not to touch the ice and potentially contaminate it, they then transferred the cubes to sterile containers. The melted water from the ice cubes was tested the same day by Suburban Laboratories of Hillside, which is certified by the EPA.

For each sample, the lab counted the number of bacterial colonies and determined whether fecal coliform bacteria were present.