A sneeze guard or sneezeguard is a plastic or glass screen designed to protect food from contamination. Sneeze guards are common in restaurants and buffets, and prevent pathogens from entering food through sneezing.
The sneeze guard was patented in 1959 by restaurateur Johnny Garneau as a "Food Service Table". By the early 1960s, the FDA mandated the presence of food guards. Similar regulations were subsequently adopted by all 50 U.S. states.
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