ADULT DAUGHTER.
>>> SLIME IN THE ICE MACHINE.
IT HAS BEEN A PART OF HOUSTON'S
VOCABULARY FOR DECADES NOW.
BUT HAVE YOU EVER ACTUALLY SEEN
WHEN THAT LOOKS LIKE IN ITS
NATURAL HABITAT?
TONIGHT WE'RE TAKING YOU INSIDE
FILTHY RESTAURANT ICE MACHINES
REVEALING JUST HOW SLIME ENDS UP
IN YOUR DRINK.
INVESTIGATOR BILL SPENCER
REVEALS THE RISK TO YOUR HEALTH
AND WHAT STEPS RESTAURANTS MUST
TAKE TO KEEP ICE MACHINES CLEAN
AND SAFE.
>> SLIME IS GROSS.
IT IS GRIMEY.
GREASY, GOOEY AND SLICK.
>> IT'S BAD FOR YOU.
>> IT CAN BE REPUGNANT.
>> SLIME IN THE ICE MACHINE.
>> Reporter: IT IS ONE OF THE
UGLIEST, MOST DISGUSTING STOMACH
TURNING THINGS YOU WILL EVER
FIND IN ANY RESTAURANT.
HOUSTONIANS HAVE BEEN HEARING
ABOUT IT FOR DECADES.
SLIME IN THE ICE MACHINE.
YET THE WILD PART IS, MOST OF US
HAVE NEVER ACTUALLY SEEN WHAT IT
REALLY LOOKS LIKE.
WELL, HERE IT IS IN ALL OF ITS
GROSSNESS, BLACK SLIME, ORANGE
SLIME.
ANDY RUNS QBR REFRIGERATION.
A COMPANY THAT SPECIALIZES IN
RESTAURANTS.
HE GAVE US DOZENS AND DOZENS OF
PICTURES OF ICE MACHINES HIS
EMPLOYEES HAVE HAD TO SCRUB OUT.
AND HE UNDERSTANDS LIKE NOBODY
DEAL.
WHY SHOULD WE CARE ABOUT SLIME
BEING IN THAT MACHINE?
>> ICE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
FOOD PRODUCT IN A RESTAURANTS.
IT'S AT EVERY DRINK, EVERY
TABLE.
>> Reporter: THINK ABOUT THAT.
EVERY SINGLE DRINK MADE WITH
ICE, WATER, SOFT DRINKS, AND
COCKTAILS.
WHERE ARE WE GOING TO FIND SLIME
IN THIS MACHINE?
>> BASICALLY YOU'LL FIND IT IN
THE ICE CAVITY.
RIGHT HERE WHERE THE ICE STARTS
TO DROP FROM THE MACHINE.
>> Reporter: IN FACT, SLIME IN
THE ICE MACHINE, IF NOT TAKEN
CARE OF, CAN GET SO BAD, IT CAN
START FORMING THESE GREASY,
GROSS, GOOEY-LIKE FINGERS THAT
HANG ABOVE THE ICE AND THEN THAT
SLIME CAN FALL INTO THE ICE,
YOUR DRINK.
WORM.
>> Reporter: AND CLEANING THAT
ICE MACHINE IS A WHOLE LOT OF
WORK.
FIRST YOU HAVE TO DUMP OUT ALL
OF TH ICE.
THEN SCRUB THE PIPES, THE TUBES,
PLASTIC SURFACES.
AND FINALLY SANITIZE WITH A
SLIME KILLER.
>> I USUALLY LIKE TO USE THE ICE
MACHINE CLEANER.
IT TAKES OUT ALL THE SLIME AND
MOLD.
>> THE OWNER HAS 27 YEARS IN THE
RESTAURANT BUSINESS AND HE KNOWS
THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP SLIME FROM
GROWING IS TO KEEN THAT MACHINE
AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK.
WITH A HIGH INTENSE CLEANING
ONCE A MONTH.
>> IF YOU HAVE A DIRTY ICE
MACHINE, YOU'RE GONNA MAKE A LOT
OF PEOPLE SICK.
IT WILL MAKE YOU VOMIT.
IT CAN CAUSE DIARRHEA.
SLIME IN THE ICE MACHINE IS A
CRITICAL VIOLATION BECAUSE IT IS
A DIRTY CONTACT PURPOSE.
>> Reporter: AT THE HOUSTON
HEALTH DEPARTMENT, INSPECTORS
TAKE SLIME IN THE ICE MACHINE
VERY SERIOUSLY BECAUSE THEY KNOW
IT'S DANGEROUS AND CAN CAUSE
FOOD-BORNE ILLNESS.
HOW PREVALENT IS IT?
>> WE'LL SEE IT ANYWHERE BETWEEN
50 TO 100 TIMES A MONTH DURING
OUR INSPECTIONS.
>> Reporter: IT'S A GOOD THING
HOUSTON RESTAURANT INSPECTORS
ARE OUT THERE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T
INSPECT THE ICE MACHINE YOURSELF
AS A CUSTOMER.
AND IT'S VERY UNLIKELY YOU'LL
EVER SEE IT OR TASTE IT.
SAY, GROSS!
NOT ALL CASES OF SLIME IN THE
ICE MACHINE ARE AS BAD AS WHAT
YOU JUST SAW.
THOSE ARE EXTREME CASES, BUT
THEY ARE REAL CASES.
FROM REAL RESTAURANTS.
SPEAKING OF ICE MACHINES, WHAT
ABOUT THE ICE MACHINE YOU HAVE
AT YOUR WORKPLACE?
WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO KNOW HOW TO
CHECK THAT MACHINE FOR SLIME?
WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED.
WE CREATED A SPECIAL
INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO ON HOW TO DO
IT ON OUR WEB SITE AT
CLICK2HOUSTON.COM.
GO TO THE CONSUMER TAB.
WE ALSO HAVE DOZENS OF PICTURES,
PROBABLY WAY TOO MANY, OF SLIME
LOOK AT.
>> THAT WAS MY FIRST QUESTION TO
BILL.
WHAT ABOUT THE CHANNEL 2 ICE
MACHINE?
>> I HAVEN'T CHECKED.
I DON'T THINK I WANT TO KNOW.
>> OUR IS BRAND-NEW.
BUT DON'T YOU KNOW, AS MUCH AS
WE EAT OUT, EVERYBODY SINGLE ONE
OF US HAS ENCOUNTERED THIS
>> SURE.
SLIMY MACHINE.
>> YEAH.
>> WITH LEGS.
>> THANK YOU.