Reusable Grocery Bags May be Hazardous to Your Health.

            Not long ago, I got into my car and it smelled as if there was a dead animal inside.  The smell of rotting meat was strong.  Perhaps unknowingly I had hit an animal and parts of the carcass had gotten into the car somehow.   After a lot of searching, I discovered the smell was coming from the reusable shopping bags I diligently carry into the store every time I go shopping.  On a previous trip, I had purchased chickens and apparently some of the meat juices had leaked into the bag and caused the dreadful smell.  I immediately washed the bags and all was well. 

           Recently, I read a news item on AOL (June 25) about a study done at the University of Arizona and Loma Linda University.  Researchers found that 97% of shoppers who use reusable bags do not clean them and they are breeding “whopping amounts” of bacteria.  I’m guilty as charged and the smell in my car proved my guilt.  It never occurred to me to wash them before that incident. 

           According to this AOL news clip, a new study reports that the dirty reusable shopping bags could be one of the factors contributing to the 76 million cases of food-borne illnesses every year.  “Reusable bags, if not properly washed between uses, create the potential for cross-contamination of foods.” Cross-contamination is raw meat coming into contact with raw fruits and vegetables.  “After testing 84 bags for bacteria, researchers found that half of the totes contained coliform bacteria, a sign of raw meat or uncooked food contamination, and 12 % bore the dreaded E. coli bacteria that can cause serious poisoning.”

          I’m bringing this to your attention because there is a very easy fix to keep your family safe from bacteria.  Don’t put meat and produce in the same bag, and wash the reusable bags after use. 

Cooking is easier than you think and you and your family are worth the time and effort it takes. 

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