Dirty dining

Desktop dining can mean germs are the main course

Kate Vinande calls it the “office feeding frenzy.”

It starts when a meeting ends and leftover bagels and sandwiches are brought out for general consumption.

“Word begins to spread. You see people from various departments start to literally run toward the kitchen,” said Vinande of Campbell & Co., a public relations company in Dearborn, Mich.

Go into any workplace and, chances are you’ll find a smorgasbord of candy dishes, doughnuts and deli trays.

Food has gained prominence as fewer employees find the time for a leisurely lunch at a restaurant – more than 60 percent of Americans eat lunch and snack at their desks, according to a survey by the American Dietetic Association and ConAgra Foods.

But an unhealthy downside has emerged in desktop dining. Desks often have 400 times more germs than a toilet seat.

Consider this: A University of Arizona study found that nearly half of desks, computer mice and telephones it tested were covered with parainfluenza viruses, which can cause bronchitis and pneumonia. And food is the most common contaminant.

“Most people won’t start cleaning their desks until they start sticking to it,” said Charles Gerba, a University of Arizona professor of Environmental Microbiology who earned his title of “Dr. Germ” studying what he describes as “grody” workplaces.

The problem is that most people don’t practice the same hygiene protocol at work as they have at home, Gerba said. Janitorial staffs have learned to stay away from cubicles, which many people view as their personal space. Plus, workplaces with in-house cafeterias or in areas with cold winters prevent people from venturing out to eat.

Sometimes, there’s just too much food. Every office has suffered from the lingering odor of burnt microwave popcorn or the next cubicle’s tuna sandwich. Last week’s leftovers created a minefield at University Bank in Ann Arbor, Mich., which celebrated its ninth anniversary with a potluck meal.

“I went to put my lunch in the fridge, but there was no room. I had to use all my engineering skills to move things around to free up enough space,” said loan specialist Adnan Mirza.

Potlucks are banned at Bianchi PR in Troy, Mich. “Not everyone is the best cook,” said Rich Donley, a vice president at the public relations company. “You tend to get a variety of things that have been sitting around a while.”

Bianchi PR loves its food. It has an ice cream fund, an Excel spreadsheet that lists the staff’s favorite birthday cake flavors and a lunch coordinator, who keeps a binder on the area’s best take-out restaurants. The company’s lunch lady, Tina Sullivan, maintains strict quality control.

“If you’re not good enough, you’re gone,” said Sullivan, who shreds a restaurant’s menu based on a group vote.

Keeping your goodies fresh and keeping any preparation surface clean is key to enjoying office edibles and avoiding illness, cautioned Heather Barton, a registered dietician for EatingCoach.com in Sterling Heights, Mich.

“Food like a deli tray should not sit out more than two hours. Past that, you’re getting into the danger zone,” Barton said.

Barton also recommends people keep a lid on their coffee, water bottle and candy dish to avoid airborne germs, usually scattered about by people sneezing.

Also, avoid candies that aren’t individually wrapped, especially in jars that people have to reach into with grubby hands.

“Coffeepots are the worst. Most offices don’t wash them. They just rinse them out,” which allows germs to grow, Barton said.