Are reusable bags really a food safety concern?
The Canadian Plastic Industry Association (likely feeling reduced sales due to the popularity of reusable cloth bags) says that reusable bags are a public health risk. In a press release yesterday the plastic dudes touted the results of a bag swabbing study conducted earlier this year. Cited as the first study of its kind in North America, the plastics industry swabbed a whopping 25 bags, with 4 controls looking for anything they could find.
Swab-testing of a scientifically-meaningful sample of both single-use and reusable grocery bags found unacceptably high levels of bacterial, yeast, mold and coliform counts in the reusable bags. The swab testing was conducted March 7-April 10th by two independent laboratories. The study found that 64% of the reusable bags were contaminated with some level of bacteria and close to 30% had elevated bacterial counts higher than the 500 CFU/mL considered safe for drinking water..jpg)
Um, yeah except that coliform isn't an indicator of really anything in a shopping bag. It's a great indicator of water quality, but not great for food (coliforms are all over the place, including on produce). And mean relatively nothing.
The lack of real data is probably why it was reported in CFU/ml (a water measurement -- pretty hard to tell what a ml of a shopping bag represents). The most telling data was that no generic E. coli or Salmonella was found.
Not the best methodology design. Or reporting of results.
Not to be phased by the lack of data, Dr. Richard Summerbell, Director of Research at Toronto-based Sporometrics and former Chief of Medical Mycology for the Ontario Ministry of Health (1991-2000), who evaluated the study results said, "The main risk is food poisoning. But other significant risks include skin infections such as bacterial boils, allergic reactions, triggering of asthma attacks, and ear infections."
Wow. Maybe if you're talking about yeast and molds? But when it comes to pathogenic microorganisms the data just isn't there.
We use reusable bags all the time for our shopping and take a few precautions to maybe reduce any potential risks: we keep them dry; wash them every couple of weeks and use one-use bags for raw meat.
http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/admin/trackback/135194
Please expand on why coliform is not an appropriate indicator for potential pathogenic contamination on food or food related materials? Coliform is used throughout the food industry as an indicator for bacterial testing. If coliform testing is not useful then why does the food industry use it and what could they use as replacement?
And what do you suppose the count would have been had they swabbed the equivalent surface area on the shoppers hands? I'm betting some labs would have reported it as TNTC. Maybe we shouldn't pick up our groceries either. Liars, Damn Liars, and Statasticians.
ken
Plastic Industry (oil industry) will say anythink to keep profits and growth. Looks like they kill people that get in the way of profits and growth.
So I'll just wash out my bags. Thanks, plastic guys.
*fazed*
LOL ,like wow man I'll just throw my bags in the washing machine ,problem solved . It's not really necessary ,because most food is prepackaged or fruit and veggies should be washed anyway .I work in the oil industry and we are happy to take as much as your money as we can but don't blame this one on us .Some one will always use oil and plastics for something till they decide it's too expensive .You decide . I use reusable cloth bags myself and drive an econo car think about it.
Becky -- Coliform is a group of bacteria that was designated as an indicator of contamination in water, dairy and treated sewage. The problem with using coliforms as an indicator of contamination of food is that the bacteria that make up this group exist all over the place. The group includes root and shoot colonizing bacteria as well as some human pathogens such as E. coli O157, Salmonella and Shigella.
The group can provide meaningful information when it comes to sanitation or treatment (there is some step to remove bacteria that are assumed to be there -- such as chlorine in water) but in this case tells us relatively nothing. The presence could suggest that there was plant material carried in the bag (or something that carries soil such as potatoes) but does not, as the press release says, provide any indication of the safety of the bags.
How can you wash them? Then your not being "Green". Your increasing your "carbon footprint" by using electricity to wash and maybe dry the bag. You have to use water to wash them which must be conserved. You also use detergents which could have phosphates in them. Your killing the environment!
So how are they "eco-friendly"?
You wash them along with a load of other stuff. It's actually not a big waste of water or electricity to add a 6 cloth bags to a load you're already doing. A lot more eco-friendly than the manufacture and use of tons of extra plastic bags that too often end up in the garbage!
LYSOL PEOPLE!
I sometimes wonder if the majority of people using reusable bags are actually washing them on a regular basis.
I don't see an issue if you keep the bag clean? Just like everything else you own...I could write an article, "You underwear could contain germs when you wear them" Sure, if you don't clean them out...
Nick-
Plastic bags are not safe to use as these are non biodegrable and will pollute environment. I think Sanitary bags and sanitary napkin disposal are safe and easy to use. as these bags are disposable and will not pollute environment.