2 months ago
WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA)--Paco Diaz is a big believer in reusable grocery bags.
"We feel like we're contributing towards a healthier environment," says Diaz.
Food safety experts warn by saving the environment, you could be affecting your health.
"A lot of times the bags can become contaminated with different types of bacteria such as coliform or e-coli," says Lisa Berger, a food safety consultant.
Infection from these can cause stomach pains, vomiting and diarrhea.
Recently Mindy Brashears, director of the International Center for Food Industry Excellence at Texas Tech University, put reusable bags to the test. Her team tested eleven bags; eight used, and three brand new.
"Coliform and generic e-coli are things THAT we look for, as scientists, that indicate some kind of contamination has occurred," says Brashears.
Half of the used bags indicated coliform contamination. Twenty-five percent of the used bags tested positive for generic Ecoli.
"They were probably used to carry fruits and vegetables - perhaps they were un-bagged - or it could have been some type of animal product, whether it be dairy products, eggs or meat product," says Brashears.
Berger says there are some easy ways to keep germs at bay. First designated certain bags for meat and others for produce and ready-to-eat foods, to avoid contamination.
"Because they are raw products, the bacteria such as e-coli, possibly salmonella, can contaminate these bags and then later can contaminate other fruits and vegetables that are placed in these bags," says Berger.
Wash the bags regularly, either by machine or by hand, says Berger. "Some of these bags also have a plastic coating on the bottom which can be removed and either put in a dishwashing machine or washed and sanitized using a bleach solution or some other sanitizer wipes."
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