Hacker News Reader

Comment by ivanhoe | Hacker News Reader

Someone spitting on pizza is just a psychological issue as pizza is baked on very high temperature for long enough, so it will be effectively sterilized... same with the meat dropped on the floor, as long as it's prepared right after that so that bacteria couldn't multiply and penetrate deeper.

View on HN

It’s more than possible for non-living but still harmful substances/chemicals to be on the floor.

in substantial amounts and then not vaporize while cooking? I guess it's possible, but honestly I'd worry much more about the hygiene of meat processing plants and what happens to meat during the storage and transport

It is often the toxins from bacteria, rather than the bacteria itself that makes you sick. Don't play when it comes to meat.

We're discussing very specific scenario where there's no time for bacteria to produce a significant amount of toxins in those few minutes from falling on the floor to being prepared, and also the majority (although not all) of deadly meat bacteria toxins like botox are inactivated by cooking. Anyway, it's not that I like eating food from a floor or having someone spit in my dishes, I just argue that strictly sanitary these are not as big deal as they're psychologically.

You discount viruses that may be transmitted by saliva.

you discount that so many people don't wash their hands after using toilet, and they cook your food later... especially in fast food restaurants... and yet we survive...

>pizza is baked on very high temperature for long enough, so it will be effectively sterilized

The toppings don't get anywhere near the temperature of the oven. If they did they'd be horribly overcooked and taste dry and awful

Reply on news.ycombinator.com