During the 1990’s
grocery stores began offering reusable bags in an effort to reduce the
environmental costs of plastic and paper grocery bags. The trend caught on and
many Americans enjoy the benefits of using them. While ecologically friendly,
many people are unaware of the physical dangers of reusable grocery bags if not
properly washed. Reusable bags are often made of various plastics, canvas, or
woven synthetic fibers - all of which can transfer harmful bacteria to contents
if they not properly cleaned and maintained.
These bags are
typically taken to the market time after time filled with everything from raw
beef and poultry to ready-to-eat foods such as heads of lettuce or apples.
Washing the reusable bags after use can eliminate harmful pathogens such as
E.coli or Salmonella by 99.9% according to *STOP
Foodborne Illness.
The Breakdown
• Reusable grocery bags are bags
made of plastic, canvas, or woven synthetic fibers.
• Beginning in the 1990’s, supermarkets began offering
reusable grocery bags in an effort to reduce the environmental costs of plastic
and paper grocery bags.
• Reusable grocery bags tend to go unwashed after carrying raw
meat products and have been linked to an increase in E. coli infections.
• By washing reusable bags either by hand or in a washing
machine after use, present pathogens can be eliminated by 99.9%.
This principal also
applies to other areas that will come into contact with your food. Lunch boxes,
for example, should also be washed after every use. Another common mistake is
to wash poultry in the kitchen sink, spreading harmful bacteria to large areas
around and in the sink - potentially causing contamination. There is no need to
rinse your poultry. When poultry is cooked to a temperature of 165⁰F or higher,
the bacteria is reduced to levels that make the poultry safe to consume.
A few food safety tips for a healthy home:
· The temperature of the refrigerator in your
kitchen should be kept at 37⁰F-38⁰F. This will keep your cold food temperatures
around the recommended 41⁰F or below.
· After you open a product, such as lunchmeat
or potato salad, be certain to store it for seven days or less. The day you
open the product is counted as day one. After seven days the potential exists
for enough bacteria growth to make you ill. If the temperature of your
refrigeration unit is off by even one or two degrees it is going to affect the safety
of your food.
· Clean the aerator on your kitchen faucet.
Your spigot in your kitchen is typically the dirtiest in the house. Is this where
you rinse fill your mop bucket AND rinse your vegetables? YUCK!
· Don’t use sponges in your kitchen, as they
harbor potentially harmful bacteria such as E.coli and Salmonella.
*STOP Foodborne Illness is a national nonprofit public health
organization dedicated to the prevention of illness and death from foodborne
illness by advocating for sound public policy, building public awareness, and
assisting those impacted by foodborne illness.
• STOP believes that reusable grocery bags are not a problem
in themselves; it is the lack of consumer education on how to properly use them
that causes foodborne illness.
• STOP encourages educating consumers on the
risks of spreading pathogens through reusable bags and producing reusable bags
with a clearly visible message and instructions to wash reusable bags after
each use. This simple act could greatly reduce the illnesses spread through
bags while maintaining the environmental agenda.
