I dont think we will be hearing that people are getting sick left and right from their shopping bags. Most people would give their bags a wipe over with a wipe every so often.

Thanks for sharing this is great to know

I do my shopping bags after I have emptied them and make sure they are dry before they are stored ready for the next time

How about we use some common sense with this? I know it’s in short supply but I am sure that there are many ways around it all.

I have always washed my bags or wiped them out if anything spills. It does seem though you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t use your own bags.

I’ve not become sick yet, years after using my recyclable bags. I wipe down the plastic liner at the bottom of the bag every now and then, and also the cooler bags. Most of my items are all packaged in some way and I have no issue mixing dog food cans with other cans etc.

I think supermarkets should have bought out a range of colour coordinated bags to avoid this from happening to assist customers. Green for fruit n veg, blue for frozen, red for meat, Black for poisons, yellow for grains and pantry etc. make them available in a multipack too.

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  • • mom93821 replied
    • 25 Jul 2018 , 6:54 am

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  We have done our own colour coding for our bags. 🙂 Good idea – maybe suggest it to them?

I always put my meat into a plastic bag for exactly this reason. (To avoid cross contamination)

I’ll probably be frowned upon for saying this, but I don’t really have anything that is actually coming into contact with the bag itself as any fresh fruit or veg I buy I put into the plastic bags provided as I think these keep them fresher in the fridge and are more hygienic – can you imagine how much bacteria must be in a trolley? I don’t want to put my fruit or veg loosely into one!

I will say I’ve never washed mine in the 9 years that I’ve been using these bags. And I’ve never been sick from them nor has anyone else in the household.

I always wash my bags & I usually put my items in categories (fruit & veg separately to meat etc). I find though when I go through the assistant checkout, my items get crammed into any bag & I end up having to resort them.

I don’t wash them but buy a new one!

Some common sense and a simple quick spray with Glen 20 is all that is needed. I always keep like items bagged separately and always have.

We have used reusable bags for years and never had any problems – we have chiller bags, fruit and veg bags and other bags for other items. We just clean our bags and they are ready for the next shop.

What a fear mongering title on this article, of course it is common sense to keep raw meats away from other foods, just like you do in your fridge, and wash them when they are dirty. There is probably more bacteria on all the packaging that gets handled quite a few times, how many wash a packet before opening and then wash their hands again before serving?

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  • • cherz replied
    • 24 Jul 2018 , 5:30 pm

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  Very well said ..and I agree

Very true! Must remember to wash them

It makes sense to wash a bag from time to time (and I have done so and repaired and strengthened bags too) but most products still seem to come in well wrapped plastic … most loose fruits/vegs are chosen and placed in a small plastic bag; baked goods come wrapped (with perhaps the exception of those perforated bags on some products) and other items are well sealed in bags, jars, containers etc. Spills are rare… I’ve never had a tray of meat leak juices (other from one particular chain where some products are done poorly)… eggs do break but for me seem contained to the cardboard box… So ! am surprised so much bacteria is finding it’s way into our food from reusable bags! I woudl have said more are on the trolley handles and are introduced from our hands!