Reusable Grocery Bag Contamination Risk

According to a joint food safety research report issued by the University of Arizona and Loma Linda University, reusable grocery bags can be a breeding ground for dangerous foodborne bacteria and pose a serious risk to public health.

The research study that tested shoppers in Tucson, Los Angeles, and San Francisco found that consumers were unaware of the need to regularly wash their reusable shopping bags.

The report, "Assessment of the Potential for Cross Contamination of Food Products by Reusable Shopping Bags," offered the following policy recommendations for lawmakers, as well as tips for consumers who use reusable grocery bags:

• States should consider requiring printed instructions on reusable bags indicating they need to cleaned or bleached between uses.
• State and local governments should invest in a public education campaign to aler t the public about risk and prevention.
• When using reusable bags, consumers should be careful to separate raw foods from other food products.
• Consumers should not use reusable food bags for other purposes such as carrying books or gym clothes.
• Consumers should not store meat or produce in the trunks of their cars because the higher temperature promotes growth of bacteria, which can contaminate reusable bags.

Read the full article in UANews here.