Sports fans pay a high price for that $6 pizza slice, but they may also be paying with their health.
Last year 28% percent of the 107 stadiums used by the MLB, NBA, NHL and NFL pro sports leagues had the majority of their concession stands cited for at least one “critical” or “major” health violation, an ESPN review of health inspection reports found.
The citations involve employees not washing their hands, flies in beverages, food stored near dangerous chemicals and sludge lingering in drink machines. (Click here for a listing by state.)
Although professional stadiums have not been the root of any major food-borne illnesses, food safety experts say the violations are worrisome. Based on comparisons of the stadium data to restaurants in general, the rate of citations “is substantially higher than I would have expected,” said Dr. Robert Buchanan, who directs the University of Maryland’s Center for Food Safety and Security Systems.
Compared to typical kitchens, concession stands may be at higher risk for contamination because they are small, cramped spaces and exposed to the open air, where bugs and pests can enter, Buchanan said. Under pressure to serve hordes of fans, employees may also resort to practices such as collecting French fries with their bare hands.
ESPN cautioned that, because of lax inspections, the problems might be under-reported at some stadiums.
Inspectors in Chicago, for example, routinely visit stadiums when they’re closed, not when a game is being played and employees are serving food. Inspectors can take note of a refrigerator’s temperature, but dangerous practices such as unwashed hands cannot be observed.
Richard Andersen, a representative of a trade group for stadium managers and concession companies, said violations are corrected on the spot in front of inspectors, and that lapses such as a precooked hot dog that is a few degrees cooler than required are faulted even though they do not post a threat to consumers.
“The sports industry has decades of experience serving fans and a proven track record of providing fans with safe, high-quality food options that positively impact the game-day experience,” he said.
