Dr Oz: Gas Station Convenience Store Food Danger & Health Hazards

Dr Oz: Gas Station Convenience Store Inspection

There’s a few things Dr Oz wanted his viewers to know before planning their next vacation. He first took a closer look at grab ‘n go foods available at gas station convenience stores, to learn more about just how safe those foods really are. Investigative reporter Elisabeth Leamy reported that gas stations now make more money selling food than they do gas. Francine Shaw inspects gas station convenience stores and other food facilities, while training companies on food safety.

Elisabeth was dressed with a hidden camera and then went with Francine to several gas station convenience stores to see what they would uncover. They noticed dirty facilities and filthy floors, which was a sign that management didn’t care and likely regularly cut several corners. At another stop, Francine spotted black mold coating the ice machine shoot. At one store, when they ordered chicken wings, the server only put on one glove, a sign of poor employee hygiene.

Dr Oz: Food Sold At Unsafe Temperatures

When they visited another store and ordered one hot sandwich and one cold sandwich, they tested the temperatures of each sandwich. The hot sandwich was only 121 degrees when it should’ve been at least 140. The cold sandwich was 55 degrees when it should have been below 41. Serving food at improper temperatures is actually against the law and perhaps the biggest danger of all. Foods being sold at improper temperatures were found at each convenience store they visited.

Dr Oz: Look For Stacked Perishable Items

Elisabeth Leamy then joined Dr Oz and explained that if these stores want to act like a restaurant, then we need to treat them like a restaurant. Dr Oz did want to point out that convenience stores do tend to offer healthy options, but you have to be careful when it comes to the display. If you see perishable items that are stacked up, you should remember that those foods can go bad, and when they’re stacked, the further the item is away from the cooling unit, the less likely it is to be at the right temperature. Often times you can use a simple touch test to see if they feel cold to the touch, if they’re supposed to be cold.

The high volume and large number of customers is part of the problem at convenience stores. Speaking of a lot of people, think about how many people will use those bathrooms and practice “good bathroom offense.” Do a good job washing your hands and then use your forearms to turn the faucet off or dispense paper towels. Then use those paper towels to open the door before throwing them away.

Dr Oz: Healthy & Safe Tips For The Convenience Store

Elisabeth then shared some safety tips for making smart choices during your next convenience store stop. First, Elisabeth wants everyone to check all expiration dates. Also just be aware of funny-looking marking or stickers on products that may be used to hide expiration dates or even change them. If you’ve ever made a quit stop and reached for packaged food, thinking it was likely safe, no matter what the actual store itself looked like, you’re not alone. Elisabeth said to remember “when in doubt, buy nuts” because they’re some of the healthiest packaged foods out there.

The National Association of Convenience Stores responded to Dr Oz’s investigation with a statement that said, in part, “To help ensure product quality, our members work with a number of companies, embraced by the restaurant industry, that provide both manager and employee-level food service training to members.”