Study: Reusable bags are a health risk
July 6th, 2010 - 10:19 pm ICT by Aishwarya BhattPhoenix, July 6 (THAINDIAN NEWS) The University of Arizona conducted a study in which they determined that the reusable grocery bags could be a health risk. Earlier shoppers were asked to replace their omnipresent plastic bags which grocery bags that could be reused again, but now there is a serious doubt over the audacity of this decision.
The researchers in the study took 84 bags from the people who were shopping in Tucson, Los Angeles and even the Bay Area and studied their bags. They found that over half of them were home to dangerous bacteria. And around 12% of the bags even had the dreaded E. coli in them.
“A lot of people are not aware of the potential for the cross-contamination of food. Well, it’s sort of a random chance. Sometimes, there may be enough. Sometimes, there may be not. You’re really always gambling with germs,” according to Charles Gerba, who is a UA professor and co-author of the study.
The researchers said that this type of contamination can only happen when raw meat touches the surface of the bag and then the bag isn’t washed in a proper manner, before being used again. The researchers advised people to wash the bag after using them once.
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Tags: audacity, charles gerba, co author, cross contamination, dangerous bacteria, e coli, germs, health risk, phoenix, plastic bags, proper manner, random chance, raw meat, reusable bags, reusable grocery bags, serious doubt, shoppers, shopping, ua professor, university of arizona
