Contaminated water could be used for coffee served on airlines – improper cleaning and sanitation on airlines puts patrons at risk

An anonymous flight attendant has revealed that the water used to make coffee on airplanes during flights could contain e. coli. The flight attendant, who works for a major airline in the US, said that the water used for coffee is often the same as that used in the airplane toilet.

The flight attendant said that the airplane water did not pass a recent test for e. coli but that the inspectors pushed it through so that it “officially” passed the test. The report, however, was countered by airline officials who, while conceding that the same potable water used for flushing the toilet is also used for making coffee and tea, denied that there was any possibility of cross-contamination.

Food safety experts clearly agree that water quality is critical to airline operations and that includes the safety of beverages provided to passengers. This runs counter, however, to what a flight attendant for American Airlines recently revealed when revealing that water tanks in airplanes are probably only cleaned out every six months or so. The failure to police water quality was recently confirmed when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tested the water on commercial airplanes in 2012 and found Twelve percent of to be positive for coliform bacteria, which means that other bacteria, including e. coli, could also have been present in the water.

Other airline employees have stated that containers are not washed properly mainly because flight attendants are not provided with the appropriate tools to clean them. In addition, given the low cabin pressure aboard a plane in flight, water boils at a lower temperature and that may affect the safety of the beverages consumed by passengers.

Food poisoning does not always come from solid food. Many times beverages, hot and cold, can contain bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal illness and digestive issues and can lead to more serious illness.

For more information about airline water safety, food safety aboard commercial airlines, or food contact the food poisoning lawyers at 1-888-335-4901.