The Disease-Spreading Bugs That Are Sometimes Found In Beverage Containers Just Got A Restaurant Manager In Worcester In Trouble With City Inspectors
Bugs will do pretty much anything to access the food and beverages we humans store inside our homes. Leaving food out or not storing it properly is the leading cause of insect infestations, especially of the fly and ant kind. Fruit flies in particular gravitate seek out the sweet food and drink and prefer fermenting fruit. They are often found inside bottles of liquor, beer, and wine. One restaurant in Worcester was recently issued a warning by officials when dead insects were found inside bottles of alcohol they use to serve guests drinks.
The Texas Roadhouse on Lincoln Street in Worcester was recently inspected, and four bottles of alcohol were discovered containing dead insects. The bottles had been topped with plastic wrap, which is not the restaurant’s usual practice. The bar area was also noted as being unkempt by the staff that inspected the restaurant from the Department of Inspectional Services and the Worcester Fire Department. The problem was brought to the attention of the city License Commission in order to decide what should be done about the problems found in the restaurant. The attorney for Texas Roadhouse, Andrew Upton, told the commission that placing Saran Wrap over bottles of alcohol is not the company’s usual protocol to deal with insects and that it was an isolated incident, in which an employee had used the plastic wrap to cover them accidentally. The Commission decided to issue the restaurant a warning due to their violation of Massachusetts General Law chapter 94, section 186 , which involves having adulterated beverages that are below a standard of purity.
Fruit flies are often attracted to alcohol, but screen pouring devices usually suffice in keeping them out. In response to the warning, the restaurant has taken measures to ensure no more dead insects can make their way inside bottles of alcohol. They are also investigating further into the incident to try and determine if the plastic wrap over the bottles may have actually made the environment even more attractive to fruit flies or sped up their growth. Manager of the restaurant, Michael Bunnell, has held the position for two years and has the liquor inventoried weekly, making sure to throw out any bottles found with anything foreign, such as dead insects. New pouring caps, made of stainless steel spouts attached to a rubber cork, are now being used to avoid future problems of this nature. The new spouts also have caps that are used to seal the bottles when they are not being used. This should serve as a warning to all people wanting to protect the cleanliness of their alcohol, whether in a restaurant or residential home.
Have you ever found dead fruit flies or other insects inside a bottle of alcohol?