Shoppers who do not regularly wash their reusable grocery bags may be placing themselves and their families at heightened risk of food borne illness.
It is estimated there are about 76,000,000 cases of food borne illness in the United States every year. Most of these illnesses originate in the home from improper cooking or handling of foods. Reusable bags, if not properly washed between uses, create the potential for cross-contamination of foods.
Only 3 percent of shoppers wash their reusable grocery bags out regularly. Most shoppers don't use separate bags for meat and produce, and some shoppers even use their bags for toting objects other than food. Contamination potential exists when raw meat products and foods traditionally eaten uncooked (fruits and vegetables) are carried in the same bags, either together or between uses. This risk can be increased by the growth of bacteria in the bags.
Washing the bags by machine or hand reduces bacterial presence to nearly zero.
