Germ Threat in Fast Food Play Areas

Germs are everywhere. It’s an unavoidable fact of life and we all deal with that fact accordingly in most cases. We create laws that mandate the cleanliness of various facilities for the public–particularly in places where food is prepared and consumed. Unfortunately, these laws are less explicit on the playground areas of these facilities making them a potential breeding ground for harmful germs, as Dr. Erin M. Carr-Jordan found in her germ samples of various fast-food play areas across the country.

After her children brought her attention to the questionable sanitary conditions of one McDonald’s PlayPlace near her hometown of Chandler Arizona, Dr. Carr-Jordan, a Child Development professor, began to take swab samples of various fast-food play areas across the country. Dr. Carr-Jordan took samples from dozens of fast-food play areas across 11 states and sent the samples to a lab for microbial analysis. After being analyzed, the samples indicated that the play areas may not have been properly cleaned, if at all. The results showed a number of different pathogens present in the samples including staphylococcus and coliform bacteria.

While McDonald’s currently implements policies requiring the sanitization of their play areas, a spokesperson for the company has announced that they would be reviewing these policies in light of Dr. Carr-Jordan’s findings.

Experts say that while these germs may be present, not all of them may be harmful and that it is important for children to wash their hands as a proper safeguard against exposure to any potentially harmful pathogens.