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See what you risk by constant use of a plastic bag.

10/7/2015

13 Comments

 
Scientists warn that reusing plastic bags could spread deadly diseases. This comes after UK's new rule of paying for each supermarket bag with the intention of reducing waste.

Eeeek! We've always used multi-purpose shopping bags. Have we been we risking our health?

A professor from the biological and biomedical science at Aston University, said the public needs to be educated about the dangers of contaminated bags.

He warned shoppers to be wary. Using the same bag for different food products, such as fresh meat, cheese and bread, could cause sickness. Millions of bacteria cells can survive on plastic bag for days or even weeks, including potentially deadly E. coli.

He advises that people only use certain bags for certain types of food produce, and always wash hands and goods thoroughly. Source: Mirror.

For years, my husband and I have used strong bags, purpose made for collecting goods from the supermarket. My husband does the packing—everything in together. Cans, chicken, vegetables, fruit, frozen packs, and cleaning items. Gulp!  

PictureString bag - en.wikipedia.org
But surely goods are safe in their own wrapping. How can bacteria escape the confines of their packaging?

He doesn't wash his hands either, unless reminded. I don't touch anything at the shops other than holding my walker. I've long been wary of what other people's hands have touched before pushing the trolley.

I remember the days in the 50s when women would take their own string bag to collect their food from the shop. Seems sensible in retrospect. Bacteria would float through the gaps without becoming trapped. I wonder if woven straw bags are safe too.

I guess the best thing to do is have separate plastic bags for different types of food—one for meat, one for greens, one for dry goods and cans, and another for cleaning materials. Armed with five specialized bags, we could march into the arena to do battle with bacteria.

How do you carry your food home from the shop?


13 Comments
Shannon Seek link
10/7/2015 01:56:33 am

Wow, Francene! Well, not sure if you saw my post about organizing at the grocery store.

I use and re-use my amazon prime boxes. And, if you see the post with my photos (on the #ultrablog gplus and pinterest pages), I only combine certain foods. It helps expedite everything at the store, plus makes the checkout receipt much less complicated.

Because I have such strict food, diet, fresh air and what not requirements with my genes (cancer twice before 40, and more joy!). I actually can't stand "smells" mingling or the idea of "bacteria."

It was a big deal for me the other day to "deal" without the organic hand wipes to be "out" at Whole Foods. Yes, I prayed. And, let it go.

This stuff is "real" for me. I am so sensitive. I am not just being picky.

One of my favorite things is using food-grade hydrogen perioxide diluted in a spritzer. It helps me breath more easily (yes, I spritz it in the air, especially when cleaning). I use in on the plastic lids for my soaking dishes (side - they are free of that "chemical" that is "bad" in plastic like all of my plastic!).

But, I find this beyond helpful. It reinforces all of the effort I make which has been hardwon learning.

And, I spritz my boxes as well as toss them when they start to seem "over."

But, I totally get what you are saying here. Even if you did not get the idea from research or studies. For these reasons alone, I am so grateful I am vegan.

Interesting topic!

Reply
Dazediva link
10/7/2015 02:33:35 am

Hmmm makes me wonder if THIS is why my Mum insisted on using different bags for different sets of items at the grocery store growing up ?

I've noticed that I generally bunch certain types of foods together when I'm bagging my groceries (and hence end up with 5 or more bags !!). Over the past 2 years whenever I do go grocery shopping I tend to carry my own cloth bag or a big sling bag and put the groceries in there.

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Alana link
10/7/2015 03:14:20 am

We use cloth bags, reusable bags made from plastic bags, or the plastic/paper bags given at the supermarket. We don't have a law requiring markets charge for bags - not yet. Rather, some stores will give a tiny discount (and it is tiny) for bringing your own bag.

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Roy A. Ackerman, PhD, EA link
10/7/2015 04:24:31 am

So, the string bags were mostly open, but bacteria could remain (and stay viable) on the strings themselves.
It is more of a problem if you put UNPACKAGED meat or cheese in these items. If you do that- the bag is no longer viable for reuse. (It does little for the environment if you clean the bag thoroughly. The amount of water - and chemicals- needed means a new bag is a better bet.)
About the only time it pays to reuse a bag is when it has been used to hold fresh bread for less than a few hours- you can use that bag for vegetables. Mostly because the microbes that would accompany either are vastly different.

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Nick #thisyearinmusic link
10/7/2015 05:09:34 am

Canvas bags all the way!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hFgtIziShmc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

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maddy link
10/7/2015 06:34:48 am

Cotton bags whenever possible then I just wash them. Or a plastic washing up bowl or similar container is a great thing to keep in your car so you can sit it in your supermarket trolley.

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Jenn Brockman link
10/7/2015 08:23:21 am

I'm so tired of taking home a hundred bags every trip! I forget to take my own bags too. So, I'm usually like your hubby who throws everything into as few bags as I can.

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Candess link
10/7/2015 08:30:29 am

Interesting to think about this. I rarely buy meat but I am a little germ phobic so I will re-think this. I think the best thing for me is to wash my bags to keep them clean. It's simple to put them in the tub with some bleach and then in the sun to dry.

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Corinne Rodrigues link
10/7/2015 09:42:26 am

Most often we carry cloth or reusable bags, Francene.

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Tweetsmom link
10/7/2015 10:26:31 am

I usually throw away the plastic grocery bags after one use, but have cloth bags that I use every week for everything.

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Keesha link
10/7/2015 10:31:17 am

Who would have thought that a simple thing such as a plastic bag could cause so much harm? As they say, "knowledge is power". Thanks for sharing your knowledge Francene!

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Mia Menon
10/7/2015 11:52:14 am

I hv been trrying to cut down on palstic. I tr n carry a cloth bag as much as i can

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Corey Franklin link
10/7/2015 01:35:50 pm

Interesting read for sure, didn't know this and kind of makes me think of all of the people I see using their own kinds of bags to carry their groceries.

Reply



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    Francene Stanley
    From England, I use news items in my novels which you can see below, all linked to an Amazon near you.

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