Did you ever think that your reusable, environmentally friendly shopping bag could give you food poisoning? According to a recent study conducted by the University of Arizona and Loma Linda University, most shoppers – a whopping 97 percent – never wash these reusable bags in which they carry everything from meat, vegetable and even books. So, when researchers tested these bags, they found not surprisingly, that the bags were swarming with all sorts of bacteria, including the much-feared E. coli. This deadly bacteria was present in about 12 percent of the bags tested, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Bacteria in Reusable Bags

Each year in the United States, there are about 76 million food poisoning cases. A majority of these food-borne illnesses occur as a result of improper cooking, storing or handling of foods. This recent study has found that reusable bags, if not properly washed between uses, can create the potential for cross-contamination of foods. This can apparently happen, for example, when raw meat products and foods that are traditionally eaten uncooked such as fruits and vegetables, are carried in the same bag.

It must be mentioned that this study was funded by the American Chemistry Council in the context of AB 1998, which would ban single-use plastic bags in California. While researchers also said that plastic grocery shopping bags have little or no bacteria, they also concluded that when the reusable shopping bags are washed, the bacteria levels get drastically reduce or even disappear altogether.

There is a Solution

As a Newport Beach personal injury lawyer who handles food poisoning cases in California, I find this issue of contaminated reusable bags interesting. Very often, we talk about food safety issues in light of food manufacturing, processing and delivery. However, we fail to address the issues in our own homes such as keeping our own kitchens and homes clean and preventing food-borne illnesses through cross-contamination. With the popularity of reusable bags on the rise and with a proposed law that could end the availability of plastic bags in grocery stores, it is important that we understand how to use these bags safely.

Do you have reusable bags at home? Are you concerned about using them after reading about this new study? We would like to hear your opinions.

None of the parties mentioned in this article are represented by us at the time this article was posted. The source of our information is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm for a consultation. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. The BISNAR | CHASE personal injury law firm will provide free, confidential consultation to "not at fault" persons and their family members if you mention your source was the “Personal Injury Law Journal." They can be reached at 866-456-5235 during California business hours.