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The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Arizona, Tucson and Loma Linda University in California, found "large numbers" of bacteria in every reusable bag they tested. E. coli, specifically, was found in about 12 percent of the bags examined.
More after the jump... Through interviews with shoppers carrying reusable bags, they also discovered that only a small number -- just 3 percent -- wash their bags, and that the bags are often used for multiple purposes.
The researchers grimly assessed that, "reusable bags can play a significant role in the cross contamination of foods if not properly washed on a regular basis."
So, if you want your reusable bags to be filled with a bounty of food, and not a bounty of bacteria that can cause foodborne illness (of which there are about 76,000,000 cases of in the United States every year), you'll need to wash them. Hand or machine washing, the study notes, reduces the bacteria in bags by more than 99.9 percent.
Washing is so effective, in fact, that the researchers recommend stores be required to put printed instructions on reusable bags "that they be washed between uses or the need to separate raw foods from other food products."
Libba Letton, a spokesperson for Whole Foods, said the grocery chain does not require such instructions on the reusable bags it sells, and she's not certain they're needed.
"It's not surprising to find out that bags need to be cleaned every once in a while," Letton said. "Like all reusable items, reusable bags need to undergo some reasonable care to ensure cleanliness."
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6-25-2010 @3:51PM Barbara said... Really? People carry fresh produce or meats that can drip out of packaging and they have to be told this might require care; ie washing occasionally?
You can not legislate or totally account for stupidity with instructions.
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6-26-2010 @6:57AM huangyous said... So, if you want your reusable bags to be filled with a bounty of food, and not a bounty of bacteria that can cause foodborne illness (of which there are about 76,000,000 cases of in the United States every year), you'll need to wash them. Hand or machine washing, the study notes, reduces the bacteria in bags by more than 99.9 percent. I am an Air Force and single at present .I need a woman who can love me back ..I also uploaded my hot photos on Uniformedcupid .c om under the name of mylover00.It's the largest and best club for seeking Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Police Force, and the admirers of those who wear the uniform.I just hope you don't mind me being a soldier ...Please Check it out!I'm serious.
6-26-2010 @7:26AM Brenda said... I agree Http://www.homeremediesguide.info take the time to wash these bags once in a while an protect from these bad diseases.
6-26-2010 @9:19AM JEFF UPSHAW said... What about using the hand held baskets and shopping carts at the Grocery Store, we have the same risk using those. Do they ever get washed or just when they look dirty.
6-26-2010 @1:29PM william Skaggs said... They have been using reusable grocery bags in Europe for at least 60 years and I have never heard of anybody getting sick. I would bet the research done on this question was paid for by the plastic bag companys. A little contamination will help the body build resistive antibodies and that will prevent desease. plus the only time I have seen people put unwraped food item in a reusable bag is at the farmers market and if you are not washing that produce befor you eat it you are to dumb to live
6-25-2010 @4:21PM Steve said... my grocery store always asks if I want meat in plastic bags and I always take them up on it
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6-26-2010 @9:56AM tonie said... So you put your meat in a plastic bag, to put into your reuseable bag, to save plastic bags?
6-26-2010 @6:11AM CSMARLY666 said... ANOTHER " GREEN " THING THAT IS TOTAL B. S.
HI, AL GORE HI. P. S. THANKS FOR INVENTING THE INTERNET. YA, RIGHT.
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6-26-2010 @7:42AM kevin said... Thanks for the info. New trends often times need new education to go along with.
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6-26-2010 @7:57AM JohnK said... And when they test your toothbrush for e-coli, specifically, it is found there also. Don't worry about it. It gets airbourne
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6-26-2010 @1:57PM sarahcotton said... If your toothbrush is routinely carrying E-Coli perhaps it is because of the toilet.
Studies have shown that a flush can carry airborne up to 6 feet.
It might be wise to have a barrier of some type between your sink/vanity and the toilet itself.
6-26-2010 @12:02PM lara said... My grocery store puts meat, produce and any foods that might contaminate my re-usable bag in to plastic bags to prevent this transfer of bacteria. Kinda' negates the whole concept of the re-usable bag, huh?
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6-27-2010 @12:04PM Andi said... Not really because you're still in theory saving a plastic bag if you always wrap your meat separately in a small produce type bag like recommended but then don't use the thicker plastic grocery bags.
6-26-2010 @8:29AM Debera said... Totally unfair to call it supid! Some of us have so much on our plate we just didn't think about what is totally important. Did you also know that your toothbrush has fecal matter on it? So instead of us getting important updated health new such as wash your reusable bag we get insulted by postings about being stupid. Well "Barbara" do you bleach out your toothbrush prior to using it? Ok, we are all trying to be green, it's a good thing and there are pro's and con's to everything in life. So we need to recall how to be green or some of us need to learn how to be green. If you think Al Gore is a tree hugging hippie too bad we are busy trying to save what's left of this world for our future Grandchildren so on and so forth.
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6-26-2010 @8:42AM Wendy said... Well "Debera"... Al Gore is alot worse than that and sounds like you are too lol
6-26-2010 @8:52AM rochemat said... Never thought Al Gore was a hippie, just a pompous, hypocritical, lying jackass. It's amazing how gullible some people are.
6-26-2010 @9:14AM Debera said... Just waking up here I think it's funny that neither of you who even bothered to reply to me mentioned the misspelling of some of the word's grammer a bit off but hey I was waking up to find this. You know everyone has skeleton's in their closets. So if have time to sit around picking apart people as you have done to someone you don't even know hey go at it. God only knows I do not want to take your only form of entertainment away for either of you. Bottom line idot's believe it or not maybe not in our life time but this somewhat beautiful earth is going to die. If you chose to believe it great if not then see you in hell....MF :o) This is the standard reception I would get from idot's like you when I was 17 yrs old in California trying to raise the awareness of the status of the earth with the Sierra Club and that was 40 plus years ago. It is sad to see the status quo. "Nuke the whales"?
6-26-2010 @11:56AM GB said... If your toothbrush has fecal matter on it you are brushing in the wrong place.
6-26-2010 @1:28PM kay said... Ah, that said it all...she's from California!!!
6-26-2010 @8:46AM John F.C. Taylor said... People don't wash their bags? Well, gee, why not? Anything that's put in them could be a cause of contamination. I would think that washing the bags would be something that's done after every trip to the market.
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