CHICAGO – May 13, 2013 – Ecolab Inc. introduces Antimicrobial Fruit and Vegetable Treatment (AFVT) — a breakthrough product to help reduce the risk of foodborne illness outbreaks related to ineffective produce washing in foodservice operations. AFVT is the industry’s first no-rinse produce wash to earn both Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registration and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for pathogen reduction in the water for whole produce and on the surface of cut fruits and vegetables.

“Our customers count on us to provide products that help deliver clean, safe and healthy environments everywhere it matters – and the food safety arena is particularly important,” said Kris Kielsa, vice president of marketing, Institutional Division, Ecolab. “Feedback from our foodservice customers indicated a need for a product that is not only effective, but easy to use in a busy commercial kitchen. AFVT is just one example of how Ecolab is uniquely positioned to respond to the needs of our customers by delivering innovative products that help improve food safety.”

A recent study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that lettuce and other leafy green vegetables are the largest source of foodborne illnesses in the U.S. “For a cost of less than a penny per plate, AFVT provides restaurant operators with an extra measure of protection against foodborne illness, helping to protect their customers and the reputation of their brand,” Kielsa added.

Kielsa went on to say that AFVT provides a substantial improvement over current produce-washing practices. “It enhances the appearance of produce, reduces bacteria that cause spoilage and leaves no smell or aftertaste. Ecolab’s controlled dispensing system makes using the product as easy as turning on a tap.” He added that one sink-full can clean a day’s supply of fresh fruits and vegetables – up to 200 pounds – making it affordable, easy and efficient to use in a busy commercial kitchen.

AFVT is registered with the EPA indicating that it reduces 99.9 percent of E.coli, Listeria and Salmonella in wash water for raw agricultural commodities. The product also received FDA clearance confirming that the new fruit and vegetable wash reduces pathogens on the surface of cut (further processed) produce .

“The CDC study also said that about 2.2 million people get sick annually from eating contaminated leafy vegetables. That represents about 23 percent of the 9.6 million cases of foodborne illness each year,” said Erin Mertz, principal microbiologist at Ecolab. “We believe the patent-pending chemistry of our AFVT will help lower the number of these cases by both reducing pathogens on the surface of produce and in the wash water.”
(more)

With its new AFVT product, Ecolab extends its innovation lead in institutional food safety and cleanliness. The new product is being unveiled May 18-21 at the annual National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago. Additional information on AFVT and food safety can be found at: http://www.whycleanmatters.com/AFVT.

About Ecolab
A trusted partner at more than one million customer locations, Ecolab (ECL) is the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services that protect people and vital resources. With 2012 sales of $12 billion and 44,000 associates, Ecolab delivers comprehensive solutions and on-site service to promote safe food, maintain clean environments, optimize water and energy use and improve operational efficiencies for customers in the food, healthcare, energy, hospitality, commercial laundry and industrial markets in more than 170 countries around the world.

For more Ecolab news and information, visit www.ecolab.com.

Follow us on Twitter @ecolab or Facebook at facebook.com/ecolab.

###
Contact:
Roman Blahoski
651-293-4385
MediaRelations@Ecolab.com

(ECL-P)

“Because the vast majority of consumers find cleanliness, menu selections and comfortable seating most important, it is vital that restaurants address these areas first, before looking at the needs of specific demographics,” says Julia Gallo-Torres, foodservice manager at Mintel. “Once these areas meet the standards of general consumers, operators can consider the specific demographics that make up their core customer base, as well as the groups in which they would like to target.”

While cleanliness, menu selections and comfortable seating are most important to all age groups and ethnicities, after those are covered different demographics start wanting different things. Some 93% of those aged 65+ say noise level is important to them when dining out versus 82% of all respondents. On the other hand, more than half (52%) of those aged 18-24 think the kind of music played in the dining room is important versus only 40% of all respondents.

Meanwhile, Hispanic diners are more likely to find decor (70% vs. 65%), dress code (54% vs 44%), music (50% vs 39%) and children’s activities (40% vs. 24%) important compared to their non-Hispanic counterparts. With increased technology, restaurants are better equipped to offer customized experiences for consumers. Décor and music can be easily altered through projection screens, accent lighting, and table top stereos. Additionally, restaurants that often serve Hispanic guests can can provide children with activity booklets in Spanish.

Aside from the ambiance of a restaurant, it is important to the majority of patrons (92%) to not feel rushed when dining at a sit-down restaurant. Some 71% of restaurant-goers say coupons or special pricing attract them to certain restaurants and more than two-thirds (68%) say the food itself is more important than the atmosphere of the restaurant.

People are most likely to be deterred from returning to a restaurant if the table or setting is unclean (76%), if the server is rude (74%), or there is a dreaded unclean bathroom (57%). According to Julia Gallo-Torres, “both of these leading reasons only speak to three quarters of Mintel’s respondents, showing that restaurant patrons tend to return to an establishment despite a less than desirable experience. However, in the weak economy, competition is tough and these issues must be addressed by restaurants in order to ensure that the consumers they do attract will want to return.”

Source: Mintel

Cantaloupes have made headlines in recent years for being the source of two major foodborne illness outbreaks: the 2011 Jensen Farms Listeria outbreak, and the 2012 Chamberlain Farms Salmonella outbreak. Together, those two outbreaks killed more than 30 people and sickened hundreds more.

Despite those recent tragedies, produce industry leaders involved with the guidance say it was not inspired by any particular outbreak or event, but more of an agreement among industry leaders that cantaloupe growers needed more assistance elevating the safety of the commodity across the board. And now, a little more than a year since their first meeting, the groups have released a 39-page document for farmers that covers everything along the production process — from worker health to traceability programs.

The production of the guidance was chiefly organized by Hank Giclas, senior vice president of Science, Technology and Strategic Planning for the Western Growers Association. Giclas and several other organizers held virtual meetings with dozens of industry, academic and government experts over six months to identify and share the best practices for every step from farm to fruit salad.

The ultimate goal, Gilcas said, is to help every cantaloupe grower ensure they use the best possible practices to keep pathogens out of their operations.

“We’re trying to communicate to folks that it’s important to look at their unique operations and identify the hazards relevant to their melon production and handling,” Giclas told Food Safety News. “There’s a need for guidance in the industry right now, particularly as it relates to some of the newer knowledge about vulnerabilities to Listeria and other pathogens.”

The guidance will serve as a complement to the cantaloupe-growing guidance already published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, said Ray Gilmer, vice president of Issues Management and Communication for United Fresh Produce Association. Two more guidance documents — one by the California cantaloupe industry and one by the Eastern U.S. industry — are due out in the near future.

“These initiatives by the industry are an effort to work together to make sure every cantaloupe grower in the U.S. knows how to minimize contamination on their crops,” Gilmer told Food Safety News.

During the year of development, the guidance evolved for the public to see and comment on at cantaloupe-guidance.org. Now, that website will shift to become a resource center where farmers are encouraged to visit and continue commenting on how the guidance works for them, offering commentary and critique to influence future drafts.

“I was really impressed by the breadth of engagement we had across the industry during the development,” Giclas said. “I’ve worked on a lot of these efforts and not many have seen such broad and deep industry involvement.”

Giclas said he hoped that industry members would carry that same level of interest into the next iteration of the guidance.

“We’re encouraging people to familiarize themselves with the guidance — look at it in the context of their food safety systems,” he said. “Go to the website, provide feedback and critique. The goal is to improve, refine, and ensure it’s productive for the industry.”

© Food Safety News

According to the report, the initial contamination of the cantaloupes “likely occurred in the production fields and was most likely spread by operations and practices in the packinghouse. It is also likely that the contamination proliferated during storage and transport to market.”

During an inspection of the Chamberlain Farms packinghouse from August 14 t0 31 of last year, FDA found a number of conditions that could have contributed to the spread of contamination. According to the report, the food contact and non-food contact surfaces in the packhouse were constructed with materials that couldn’t be easily cleaned or sanitized, including carpet and wood. The FDA also said that records were not available to demonstrate whether the farm had monitored its water for washing the melons had the proper pH for disinfecting and preventing cross-contamination.

The report also notes there was an accumulation of debris including trash, wood, food pieces, standing water, mud, and dirt observed beneath the conveyer belt in the cantaloupe packinghouse and that the melons were not pre-cooled after packing before shipment to retail stores. “Warm cantaloupe with rinds that have an increased water-activity (i.e., free residual moisture from washing procedures) and available nutrients from contact with insanitary food contact surfaces may have facilitated Salmonella survival and growth on the cantaloupe rind during subsequent holding,” according to FDA.

FDA also offered detailed hypotheses on the different ways the cantaloupes could have originally become contaminated in the field, from the report:

• Biological soil amendments may have been the source of the pathogen; however, Chamberlain Farms reported that the firm does not use any biological soil amendments for the production of cantaloupes or watermelons. It is unclear if adjacent or previous land use may have played a role in this. It was noted by the EA team that significant poultry (turkey) production is located in the local region of Chamberlain Farms.
• Additionally, it was hypothesized that agricultural water may have been a vehicle for the spread of contamination. Chamberlain Farms did report that subsurface drip irrigation was used on three of the four fields visited during the EA. However, Chamberlain Farms reported that they did not use any irrigation water for the production of cantaloupe or watermelons on Parcel A (a parcel where, both watermelon (collected by Indiana State Department of Health) and soil samples (collected by FDA) were found to be positive for Salmonella). This is extraordinary given the water use demands typically required to commercially produce cantaloupe and watermelon, particularly given the extreme heat and drought conditions which occurred in Southwest Indiana during the summer growing season of 2012.
• Although none of the wells tested positive for Salmonella, it is interesting to note the positive findings of generic E. coli and total coliform. While the E. coli and total coliform are not pathogenic, nor are they necessary indicators of the presence of Salmonella, it is unusual to note indicators of fecal contamination to be recovered from ground water sources. It was reported to FDA that the local aquifer is very shallow (30-40ft) and subsequently all wells are dug only to this depth. This is of interest for the following reasons: The combined information listed above supports the hypothesis that agricultural water may have been a contributing factor.
  • Due to the location of the Large Well to Scott Ditch (dug to 15ft), which did test positive for Salmonella, E. coli, and total coliform, it is possible that Scott Ditch is influencing the aquifer at the location of the Large Well.
  • The observations from the EA team that some of the wells were poorly constructed, or were in disrepair, suggests they may have been subject to contamination by run-off, or through subsurface influences.

The FDA reminded growers that all parties along the produce supply chain should employ best practices to ensure safe food. The federal government has recommendations for growers in FDA’s and USDA’s “Guidance for Industry: Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables,” FDA’s “Guidance for Industry: Letter to Firms that Grow, Harvest, Sort, Pack, Process, or Ship Fresh Cantaloupe,” and FDA’s “Guidance for Industry: Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards of Melons; Draft Guidance.”

© Food Safety News

Usually, a great deal of effort has gone into preventing foodborne illness outbreaks. In 2010, the Obama administration got the Food Safety Management Act passed but it hasn’t been funded or implemented, though they have scuttled other food testing divisions of the government that have been focused on preventing contamination of food supply.

Last year, the US was hit with one of the deadliest foodborne illness outbreaks in recent memory when contaminated cantaloupe sickened more than a hundred people and killed dozens. The contamination was eventually traced to fruit from a single processing plant, but in addition to the illness and death that resulted, the entire cantaloupe industry was affected when the price of cantaloupes dropped by more than 30% nationwide as consumer fear drove down demand.

But even with more and better prevention efforts, it is economically, politically, and scientifically difficult to guarantee 100% protection of the US food supply. The authors of a new report,  ”When Good Food Goes Bad: Strengthening the US Response to Foodborne Disease Outbreaks”, argue that we need to increase our focus on improving the speed and accuracy with which we detect and respond to outbreaks. 

“The sooner the source of an outbreak is identified, the sooner we can issue accurate targeted warnings and take the contaminated products off the shelves,” notes Jennifer Nuzzo, author of the report. “And the sooner people stop eating contaminated food, the sooner the sickness stops.”

Once protective actions are implemented, additional illness and death, as well as economic tolls, can be minimized. The report recommends several actions, including:

• Bolster the public health departments that conduct outbreak investigations so that they have the tools and people they need to detect outbreaks, quickly identify the source, and issue targeted warnings. When public health departments are able to quickly solve outbreaks, it saves lives.

• Tap the expertise of the private sector to help us solve outbreaks. The US food supply is becoming increasingly complex, and as a result outbreaks are becoming more difficult to solve. We need to find ways of soliciting expertise from the people who know how production and distribution systems are organized and use that to inform public health investigations of outbreaks.

• Develop technologies to ensure that our national foodborne illness surveillance programs stay up to date and relevant.

Source: Science 2.0

Symptoms of the diseases caused by EHEC include abdominal cramps and diarrhea that may in some cases progress to bloody diarrhea. Fever and vomiting may also occur.

According to a company press release distributed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the products being recalled are as follows:

-Central Market Organics 0rganic baby spinach in 16 oz. trays UPC number is 0-41220-18534-4 with a best by date of February 24, 2013 – this product was distributed in TX.

-Full Circle Organic organic baby spinach in 16 oz. trays UPC number is 0-36800-28875-1 with a best by date of February 24, 2013 – this product was distributed in CA.

-Marketside Organic organic baby spinach in 5 oz. trays UPC number is 6-81131-32898-2 with a best by date of February 24, 2013 – this product was distributed in AR,CO,LA,NM, OK, and TX.

-Simple Truth Organic organic baby spinach in 5 oz. trays UPC number is 0-11110-91128-5 with a best by date of February 24, 2013 – this product was distributed in AK, AZ, CA, CO, ID, LA, MO, MT,
NM, OR, TX, UT, WA, and WY.

-Taylor Farms Organic organic baby spinach in 16 oz. trays UPC number is 0-30223-04780-3 with a best by date of February 24, 2013 – this product was distributed in AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA,ID, IN, IL, KS, KY, LA, MD, MO, MN, MS, MT, NC, NE, NM, NV, NJ, NY, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI, and WY.

According to the company: “No other products or code dates are affected by this recall. The company is cooperating with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and California Department of Public Health (CDPH) regarding this recall. There have been no reported illnesses attributed to the recalled items.”

Customers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume the products and should dispose of them. Anyone concerned about a foodborne illness should contact their health care provider.

© Food Safety News

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Feb. 6, 2013 – Ecolab has selected Café Joshua, a non-profit kitchen in West Palm Beach, Fla., as the second winner of its Clean Makeover Contest, which invited foodservice operators to explain why they could use extra help from Ecolab. Café Joshua will receive up to $25,000 of Ecolab equipment, products and services to enhance the cleanliness and efficiency of its operations.

Entries in the Ecolab Clean Makeover Contest ranged from humbling to humorous, but all shared a common theme: a desire to maintain a high degree of cleanliness under sometimes challenging conditions.

“From the hundreds of entries we received, Café Joshua’s essay captured our attention because of the organization’s impact on the local community,” said Kevin Rowley, senior marketing manager, Ecolab Institutional Foodservice. “The organization feeds the homeless, helps clients develop life skills and prepares them for work in the foodservice industry. Café Joshua also recently launched a corporate catering business to help support their efforts.”

Through Café Joshua’s programs, students learn on-site food preparation and kitchen operations, including food safety regulations and best practices in kitchen sanitation. Over the past three years, the program has successfully graduated 54 students. Many go on to work in catering and foodservice careers in local restaurants and hotels, medical centers, banquet and dining halls and school districts.

“We understand the importance of maintaining a clean kitchen environment, and that’s why Ecolab’s expertise is so welcomed,” said Robert Coleman, director of Food Service at Café Joshua. “They provide best-in-class food safety practices that will benefit our students, our corporate catering business and our food programs for the homeless.”

The Clean Makeover Contest prize package, valued at $25,000, includes:

• An Ecolab rental Dishmachine with new Apex2 technology
• Ecolab Pest Elimination service
• An Ecolab Cleaning Caddy for touch-free restroom cleaning
• Assorted cleaning products and tools for kitchen operations, including detergents, sanitizers, floor and glass cleaners and hand care products
• Ice Machine Smart Care^SM Performance Check service
• Water filtration equipment for an ice machine and postmix beverages
• A food safety evaluation and coaching session
• A Prep-n-Print food labeling system

“Research shows how important cleanliness is to the success of foodservice operations,” explained Rowley. “Disciplined programs ensure a consistent high level of cleanliness and safety. The Ecolab Clean Makeover Contest is our way of helping Café Joshua build on their existing programs for even greater impact and to emphasize to their students the importance of cleanliness in the foodservice industry.”

The other Clean Makeover Contest winner is The Foodbank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties in Neptune, N.J. This organization was selected for the impact its Culinary Training Kitchen program has on the local community. It provides unemployed and under-employed adults the opportunity to train for jobs in the foodservice industry.

Additional information on the contest, including images of the Ecolab team presenting Café Joshua with the Clean Makeover Contest award, can be found at: www.whycleanmatters.com/cleanmakeover/media.

About Café Joshua
Started in 1995, Café Joshua was a place for homeless people in West Palm Beach to receive a hot, restaurant-style meal. In 2000, the organization merged with The Lord’s Place, which provides comprehensive case management, job training and supportive housing, as well as a thrift store. The merger allowed Café Joshua to expand into a corporate catering business that brings revenues back to the nonprofit. The agency serves an average of 560 homeless men, women and children every month. For more information, visit www.thelordsplace.org.

About Ecolab
With 2011 pro forma sales of $11 billion and more than 40,000 employees, Ecolab Inc. (NYSE: ECL) is the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services that provide and protect clean water, safe food, abundant energy and healthy environments. Ecolab delivers comprehensive programs and services to the food, energy, healthcare, industrial and hospitality markets in more than 160 countries. For more Ecolab news and information, visit www.ecolab.com.

Source: GrubStreet

NEPTUNE, N.J. – Nov. 27, 2012 –The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties in
Neptune, N.J., has won the first Ecolab Clean Makeover Contest and will receive
$25,000 in Ecolab equipment, products and services to enhance the cleanliness and
efficiency of their operations.

“This is a dream come true for us,” said Chef Raymond Cattley with The FoodBank of
Monmouth and Ocean Counties. “After Superstorm Sandy, we distributed enough food
for one million meals. To meet the increased demands for our services, we must
maintain our high standards of cleanliness and sanitation. Winning the Ecolab Clean
Makeover Contest will allow us to draw on Ecolab’s expertise to ensure we operate a
clean and safe foodservice environment.”

Through the Clean Makeover Contest, Ecolab invited foodservice operators to explain
why they could use extra help from Ecolab to enhance the cleanliness and efficiency of
their operations. Entries ranged from humbling to humorous, but all shared a common
theme: a desire to maintain a high degree of cleanliness under sometimes challenging
conditions.

The FoodBank’s entry stood out to contest judges because the impact of the organization
is magnified through its Culinary Training Kitchen Program, which provides unemployed
and under-employed adults the opportunity to train for jobs in the foodservice industry.
Through the program, students learn on-site food preparation and kitchen operations,
including food safety regulations and best practices in kitchen sanitation. The program
has successfully graduated more than 200 students since it began in March 2002.
“Our students will benefit from Ecolab’s expertise and will bring best-in-class food safety
practices to other foodservice operations once they complete our program,” said
Cattley.

The Clean Makeover Contest prize package, valued at $25,000, includes:

• An Ecolab rental Dishmachine with new Apex2 technology
• Ecolab Pest Elimination service
• An Ecolab Cleaning Caddy for touch-free restroom cleaning
• Assorted cleaning products and tools for kitchen operations, including detergents, sanitizers, floor and glass cleaners and hand care products
• Ice Machine Smart Care^SM Performance Check service
• Water filtration equipment for an ice machine and postmix beverages
• A food safety evaluation and coaching session
• Prep-n-Print food labeling system

“Research shows how important cleanliness is to the success of foodservice operations,”
explained Nicolas Granucci, Ecolab vice president of Foodservice Marketing. “Operators
with disciplined cleanliness programs can achieve a high level of cleanliness and safety
more consistently. The Ecolab Clean Makeover Contest is our way of helping The
FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties build on their existing cleaning programs
for even greater impact.”
Additional information on the contest, including video of the Ecolab team informing The
FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties that the organization had won the Clean
Makeover Contest, can be found at: www.whycleanmatters.com/cleanmakeover/media.

About the Culinary Training Kitchen
Started in 1984, The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties works to build food
secure communities. The organization serves more than 260 food pantries, soup
kitchens, and other programs, and operates mobile pantries, programs for children and
outreach efforts. In just the first few days after Superstorm Sandy, The FoodBank
provided more than 33,000 meals to food pantries, churches, senior centers, shelters
and other organizations serving those who were hardest hit by the storm. Since
Superstorm Sandy, The FoodBank has distributed enough food for one million meals,
including hot meals from the kitchen, military rations (MREs), shelf stable food, disaster
boxes and fresh and frozen items for organizations cooking for victims and rescue
workers.

About Ecolab
With 2011 pro forma sales of $11 billion and more than 40,000 employees, Ecolab Inc.
(NYSE: ECL) is the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services
that provide and protect clean water, safe food, abundant energy and healthy
environments. Ecolab delivers comprehensive programs and services to the food, energy,
healthcare, industrial and hospitality markets in more than 160 countries. For more
Ecolab news and information, visit www.ecolab.com.

“At Ecolab we’re privileged to be part of the Foodservice industry where so many passionate, inspired people create places for us to celebrate the events in our lives, big and small, while enjoying great food,” said Nicolas Granucci, Ecolab vice president of Foodservice Marketing. “We want to recognize that contribution by giving away a year’s worth of the best Ecolab has to offer to one foodservice operator.”

As most in the business will attest, running a restaurant is no picnic. With nearly a million restaurants[1] in the U.S., there’s plenty of competition vying for consumer dollars. “Guests definitely have a choice on where to go, and it’s up to me to ensure that the guest experience is fulfilled from beginning to end. When I know that sanitation and cleanliness are taken care of, I can stay focused on what I need to be focused on,” said Chef Eric Miller, who tested the Ecolab Clean Makeover concept.

“Restaurateurs work very hard and have a tremendous amount to do on a day-to-day basis. Ecolab’s commitment is to provide dependable sanitation solutions that give them more time to be creative and enhance the guest experience,” said Granucci. “With the Clean Makeover approach we actually send an entire team of experts that we call ‘The Champions of Clean’ to a customer’s operation. They examine every element of a customer’s sanitation program and then make a customized recommendation for that customer to achieve the right goals for him or her.”

While restaurant sanitation may not get the spotlight on any of the celebrity chef TV shows, cleanliness is very important to restaurant customers. Findings from Technomic, an independent consumer research firm, show that consumers place a high value on the cleanliness of tableware and restaurant interiors, ranking the cleanliness of tableware, restrooms and visible kitchen areas among the 10 most important attributes of their dining experiences.[2] The same study found that cleanliness satisfaction scores were connected to a higher “intent to return” by consumers, as well as same-store sales growth.[3]

“The cleanliness of a restaurant can significantly impact a customer’s experience as well as the restaurant’s reputation and bottom line. Restaurant cleanliness is clearly related to customer satisfaction and repeat business. Clean tableware was on par with food quality and taste in the Technomic survey,” said Granucci.

Contest entries to date range from humble to heartbreaking to humorous. But what all stories share are a passion for the industry, high regard for restaurant cleanliness and the desire to see the positive impact that winning the Ecolab Clean Makeover could have on their businesses. As one entrant wrote, “In our business, success is based on a spotless facility as well as perfect food.”

Another wrote, “Having bussed tables 24 years ago at the establishment I now own, I truly embrace the theory of working up thru the ranks. It was my culinary passion that enabled me to excel in this business. My motto…‘a clean kitchen is a happy kitchen!’”

To enter, all foodservice operators are invited to share how they could benefit from Ecolab at whycleanmatters.com/cleanmakeover. Videos of entry excerpts, Chef Miller and of “The Champions of Clean” at work, as well as official rules and prize package details are also available on the site. Entries are accepted through October 31, 2012.

The prize package, valued at $25,000, includes a one-year supply of Ecolab products and equipment, featuring an Ecolab Dishmachine Rental with new Apex2 technology, GuardianPlus™ Pest Elimination Service, an Ecolab Cleaning Caddy, water filtration equipment for an ice machine and postmix, an array of cleaning products and tools, and much more. The winning restaurant also will benefit from a full year of Ecolab’s industry expertise and 24/7 service, including a food safety evaluation and coaching session.

About Ecolab
With 2011 pro forma sales of $11 billion and more than 40,000 employees, Ecolab Inc. (NYSE: ECL) is the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services that provide and protect clean water, safe food, abundant energy and healthy environments. Ecolab delivers comprehensive programs and services to the food, energy, healthcare, industrial and hospitality markets in more than 160 countries. For more Ecolab news and information, visit www.ecolab.com.

[2] Technomic CRBM, Q4 2010
[3] Technomic CRBM, Q4 2010

Greaselift’s unique chemistry does not produce flashback or noxious odors when sprayed and is safe to use on aluminum surfaces. The product foams, which provides vertical cling when cleaning problem areas such as vent hoods or ovens.

“Greaselift’s powerful and biodegradable formula is ideal for cleaning commercial kitchen equipment effectively,” said Nicolas Granucci, Ecolab vice president of Foodservice Marketing. “The solution is as powerful as corrosive degreasers and will help kitchen staff degrease areas without the need for cumbersome personal protective equipment.”

Ecolab’s non-caustic Greaselift can be purchased as a concentrate. This dispensing method is designed to minimize product packaging; reducing plastic waste by 95 percent and cardboard waste by 78 percent compared to other degreasing methods.
For more information about Greaselift and other Ecolab kitchen cleaning products, visit www.ecolab.com.

About Ecolab
With 2011 pro forma sales of $11 billion and more than 40,000 employees, Ecolab Inc. (NYSE: ECL) is the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services that provide and protect clean water, safe food, abundant energy and healthy environments. Ecolab delivers comprehensive programs and services to the food, energy, healthcare, industrial and hospitality markets in more than 160 countries. For more Ecolab news and information, visit www.ecolab.com.

ST. PAUL, Minn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Ecolab Inc. (NYSE: ECL) has received a Kitchen Innovations™ 2012 Award from the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show, for its ActiveView HDI (Health Department Intelligence) service. Introduced last fall, ActiveView HDI helps chain restaurant operators safeguard their customers’ health — and protect their own reputations from potentially harmful food safety and sanitation issues.

Geared to the needs of multi-unit operators in the United States, Ecolab’s ActiveView HDI service provides a clear line of sight into health department inspections at the unit level, regardless of location, and across an operator’s entire restaurant chain.

“A negative health department rating, or worse, an outbreak of food-borne illness, at one unit can have a negative effect on the reputation of an entire chain,” said Ruth Petran, Ph.D., corporate scientist for food safety at Ecolab. “Operators can help protect the health — and maintain the confidence — of their customers by tracking health department inspections — and taking immediate action to correct any problems. Using Active HDI, they can, for the first time, monitor the health department inspections for all of their units nationwide and act quickly to avoid potential problems.”

ActiveView HDI also makes it easy for chain operators to track and decipher local health department inspections by assigning a standardized, numerical rating system to the many diverse sanitation rating systems used by states and localities. It also provides trend analysis and reporting to help operators determine units that may be in need of special attention.

The service includes access to a Web portal through which customers can access health inspection data for their chain anytime or anywhere they have an Internet connection.

To learn more about Ecolab’s ActiveView HDI service, visit booth #2440B at the Kitchen Innovations Pavilion or the Ecolab booth (#4000) at the NRA Show, May 5-8, in Chicago.

About Ecolab

With 2011 pro forma sales of $11 billion and more than 40,000 employees, Ecolab Inc. (NYSE: ECL) is the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services that provide and protect clean water, safe food, abundant energy and healthy environments. Ecolab delivers comprehensive programs and services to the food, energy, healthcare, industrial and hospitality markets in more than 160 countries. For more Ecolab news and information, visit www.ecolab.com.

(ECL-P)

ST. PAUL, Minn. – May 4, 2012 – Ecolab Inc. (NYSE: ECL) today launched Apex2, taking the industry-leading Apex™ warewashing program to the next level. With automatic tracking of key performance metrics, an intuitive new dishmachine monitor and actionable reporting and alarms, Apex2 offers foodservice operators maximum control over their warewashing program results and total costs.

“To develop Apex2, we gathered thousands of data points by working with customers to understand their day-to-day warewashing challenges and how we can make the process better,” said Nicolas Granucci, vice president, Institutional Foodservice Marketing. “The result is a program that offers dramatically improved simplicity, efficiency, and ultimately, superior results.”

The innovative features of Apex2 allow operators to easily gain greater visibility into their dishwashing performance. Key metrics including wash and rinse temperatures, detergent levels and wash-tank change-outs are tracked automatically, making it simple to pinpoint where and when issues occur. Actionable alarms on the high-definition monitor show dishroom staff exactly what needs to occur to maintain peak performance.

The Apex2 program utilizes Apex™ solid chemistry for the dishmachine, along with an all-solid 3-compartment sink dispensed product line. The 99.7 percent phosphate- and phosphorus-free, concentrated formulas offer spill proof loading and reduced packaging waste, while delivering sparkling-clean, consistent results.

The combined Apex product and monitoring program also helps restaurants minimize their environmental impact by reducing packaging waste, and saving water and energy by reducing rewash.

Chefs and kitchen managers have already seen how Apex2 can help them run their dishrooms more efficiently and effectively. “The biggest benefit of Apex2 is that it provides information on what’s happening, so we can identify issues,” said Chef Dominic Batistella of Red Rocks Café, Huntersville, N.C. “Apex2 allows me to not have to worry about the dishmachine as much. We catch issues before they become problems with our guests, and that gives me peace of mind.”

Executive Chef Eric Miller of the Sheraton Airport Hotel, Charlotte, N.C., agrees. “The Apex2 reports let me know the dishroom staff is staying on top of the chemicals, machine temperature and more. It’s like having an extra set of eyes focused on the dishmachine, so I can stay focused on guest satisfaction.”

“What Apex2 ultimately offers is even more control over warewashing programs, but in a more simple way,” Granucci said. “It allows operators to ensure the best possible results at the lowest total cost.”

Apex2 will debut at the National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show May 5–8, 2012, at McCormick Place, Chicago, Ill. To see videos about the development of Apex2, hear reactions from chefs and learn more about the features of Apex2, please visit www.whycleanmatters.com/apex2.

About Ecolab
With 2011 pro forma sales of $11 billion and more than 40,000 employees, Ecolab Inc. (NYSE: ECL) is the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services that provide and protect clean water, safe food, abundant energy and healthy environments. Ecolab delivers comprehensive programs and services to the food, energy, healthcare, industrial and hospitality markets in more than 160 countries. For more Ecolab news and information, visit www.ecolab.com.

Find out more about Apex2 >

But wait. Is that dried-on food stuck to your fork? Are those lipstick marks on your water glass? Instead of looking forward to a delicious meal, now you might be wondering what’s going on in the areas of the restaurant you can’t see.

What’s worse, new research shows you’re not likely to make a return visit to give the place a second chance to make a good impression. New studies confirm that cleanliness makes a big impact on guest impressions and repeat business.

So how can restaurants use this information to protect their reputations and bottom lines? The answer lies in understanding the research, how cleanliness affects diners’ experiences, and building a cleanliness program that delivers consistent results.

Face Facts: Cleanliness Trumps Food Quality
The game-changing research comes from Technomic, an independent consumer research firm that semi-annually surveys restaurant consumers for the Consumer Restaurant Brand Metrics Program to find out what’s most important to diners in their restaurant experiences. Most recently the survey collected 18,000 responses.

Respondents ranked 50 attributes in importance. As you might guess, atmosphere, cleanliness, friendly service and food taste are near the top of the list. But what might surprise you is that diners ranked the cleanliness of dishware, glassware and silverware as being number one in importance—with 93 percent identifying it as their top concern.¹

Rounding out the top 10 attributes, cleanliness made an appearance three more times, with consumers placing a high value on a clean restaurant interior, bathrooms, as well as kitchen
or food prep areas they can see.²

Not only is cleanliness important to restaurant guests, but Technomic also validated a connection between how consumers ranked particular restaurant chains on cleanliness and their stated “intent to return”. Those with higher cleanliness scores also had higher intent to return scores. In addition, when looking at reported same-store-sales, chains with tableware cleanliness satisfactions scores in the top 25 percent enjoyed same-store-sales growth of 4 percent.³

However, chains with tableware cleanliness satisfactions scores in the bottom 25 percent averaged only 0.2 percent sales growth during the same time period.

The takeaway? Cleanliness doesn’t just impact guest satisfaction—it can also drive repeat business and boost sales.

Come Again? It’s All About the Experience
“I think the research surprised many in the industry,” comments Nicolas Granucci, Vice President of Foodservice Marketing at Ecolab. “We intuitively know that having a clean restaurant is good. But it really says something when consumers put cleanliness at the top of their lists when deciding where to spend their dining dollars.”

When operators fail to recognize the connection between maintaining a clean establishment and their sales figures, it can spell trouble. “When the going gets tough economically, operators may be tempted to cut corners on their cleaning programs,” Granucci continues, “without realizing how it will impact their business as a whole.”

While the importance of restaurant and tableware cleanliness might be news to some, to others, it’s always been a cornerstone of their business philosophy. One such restaurateur is John C. Metz, Executive Chef, Partner & Co-Founder of Marlow’s Tavern, Aqua Blue and Hi Life Kitchen and Cocktails in the Atlanta area.

“Cleanliness is the most important thing from our guests’ perspective, and a key part of their dining experience,” he explains. “From the moment they open up the silverware wrap and see the sparkling silver, that sends a message to them that we’re focused on the details.”

How Cleanliness Can Help You Build Repeat Business
There are no second chances on first impressions—so use these three principles to ensure a clean establishment for every guest on every visit:

• Products: Make sure your products are working as hard as you do. Let your vendor partners know that cleanliness is a top priority for you. They may be able to recommend new products that work better, faster, saving you time and money in the long run.
• Processes: Don’t think of training as a one-time deal; provide ongoing training for all employees on cleanliness procedures. Hold top staff accountable for role modeling clean-conscious behaviors. Encourage staff to speak up if they see cleanliness issues, or ask questions if they’re unsure of what to do in a given situation.
• Persistence: Make it a habit to spot-check silverware, glassware, dishware, floors and restrooms at multiple points during shifts. Issues are bound to arise, but the key is to take note and address them quickly.

“To keep customers coming back, restaurants must stay on top of all three elements of their cleaning programs,” says Granucci. “From a spotless floor in the entryway to sparkling-clean place settings to a pleasant-smelling restroom, restaurants must ensure every aspect of their operation meets customers’ cleanliness expectations to succeed in this challenging economic environment.”

Good Experience? Tell a Friend. Bad Experience? Tell the World.
With the growth of online restaurant review sites such as Yelp and Urbanspoon, cleanliness is perhaps now more important than ever. Yelp CFO Vlado Herman reports the website garnered 45 million visitors and 16 million reviews in January 2011, up from 39 million users and 15 million reviews in November 2010. Instead of just telling a few friends about a wonderful or terrible experience, diners can now broadcast their opinions to a much broader audience—for better or for worse. Studies show that 29 percent of restaurant consumers use social media to find, “friend”, or follow full-service restaurants. And 11 percent use social media to share their opinions about restaurants.⁴

A consistent cleaning program helps ensure those reviews will attract new customers to your establishment, rather than steer them away.

Cleanliness Keeps ’Em Coming Back
If you approach cleanliness by using the right products and processes, as well as being persistent in staying on top of issues, customers are bound to take notice. Over time, you’ll win diners’ trust and their repeat business.

“It really sends a message,” says Chef Metz. “Our guests know that cleanliness is important to us—and by extension, that they are important to us.”

To find out more, hear stories and view videos, visit whycleanmatters.com.

¹ Source: Technomic CRBM Q4 2010
² Ibid
³ Over a time period comparable to when the survey was conducted.
⁴ Ibid.

Saint Paul, Minn., Oct. 19, 2011 – New research from Technomic, a leading foodservice research firm, shows that diners in many U.S. cities consider restaurant cleanliness to be more important than the quality of the food*. According to Technomic’s survey of 12,295 consumers throughout the U.S., the cleanliness of restaurant interiors, as well as dishes, glasses and silverware, was consistently ranked as having the highest importance when choosing a restaurant.

To highlight the importance of restaurant cleanliness, Ecolab is taking its “Why Clean Matters” campaign on a coast-to-coast tour. Through Nov. 17, 2011, the “Why Clean Matters” tour will visit select cities and meet with restaurant operators to highlight the importance of restaurant cleanliness and demonstrate the latest technology to help ensure consumers are pleased with their dining experience. An Ecolab trailer will showcase Ecolab’s award-winning line of cleaning innovations, including the Apex™ Conveyor Dishmachine and Ecolab Cleaning Caddy, at each tour stop.

• Diners in Chicago ranked the quality of food as their number-one concern when choosing a restaurant, with the cleanliness of their dishware, silverware and glassware second and the cleanliness of a restaurant’s interior third.
• Denver respondents ranked the cleanliness of a restaurant’s dishware, silverware and glassware as important as the taste and quality of food.
• For New Yorkers, the taste and quality of food and the cleanliness of a restaurant’s kitchen area tied as top concerns.
• San Francisco respondents ranked the cleanliness of a restaurant’s interior as their primary concern, with the quality of the food second.
• Diners in Washington, D.C., ranked the cleanliness of their silverware, dishes and glasses as most important, above food taste and quality.

Restaurateurs across the country can learn what people value most in their dining experience at www.WhyCleanMatters.com/coast-to-coast, which includes an interactive map showing city-specific results of the survey.

“Understanding and anticipating consumer preferences is vital to our customers’ success,” said Nicolas Granucci, vice president, Foodservice Marketing at Ecolab. “Cleanliness is very important to restaurant guests across the U.S., and it is our mission to provide restaurant operators the products, services and know-how they need to give guests the clean experience they expect.”

To view videos of chefs expressing Why Clean Matters to their restaurants or to learn more about Technomic’s research, visit www.WhyCleanMatters.com.

With sales of $6 billion and more than 26,000 associates, Ecolab Inc. (NYSE: ECL) is the global leader in cleaning, sanitizing, food safety and infection prevention products and services. Ecolab delivers comprehensive programs and services to foodservice, food and beverage processing, healthcare, and hospitality markets in more than 160 countries. More news and information is available at www.ecolab.com.