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Thursday, June 24, 2010
Science UA Scientists: Reusable Grocery Bags Covered in Germs
Posted by Jim Nintzel on Thu, Jun 24, 2010 at 9:20 AM
Reusable grocery bags can be a breeding ground for dangerous food-borne bacteria and pose a serious risk to public health, according to a joint food-safety research report issued today by the University of Arizona and Loma Linda University in California.
The research study — which randomly tested reusable grocery bags carried by shoppers in Tucson, Los Angeles and San Francisco — also found consumers were almost completely unaware of the need to regularly wash their bags.
"Our findings suggest a serious threat to public health, especially from coliform bacteria including E. coli, which were detected in half of the bags sampled," said Charles Gerba, a UA professor of soil, water and environmental science and co-author of the study. "Furthermore, consumers are alarmingly unaware of these risks and the critical need to sanitize their bags on a weekly basis."
Bacteria levels found in reusable bags were significant enough to cause a wide range of serious health problems and even death. They are a particular danger for young children, who are especially vulnerable tofood-borne illnesses, Gerba said.
The study also found that awareness of potential risks was very low. A full 97 percent of those interviewed never washed or bleached their reusable bags, said Gerba, adding that thorough washing kills nearly all bacteria that accumulate in reusable bags.
The report comes at a time when some members of the California Legislature, through Assembly Bill 1998, are seeking to promote increased consumer use of reusable bags by banning plastic bags from California stores.
"If this is the direction California wants to go, our policymakers should be prepared to address the ramifications for public health," said co-author Ryan Sinclair, a professor at Loma Linda University's School of Public Health.
The report noted that "a sudden or significant increase in use of reusable bags without a major public education campaign on how to reduce cross contamination would create the risk of significant adverse public health impact."
Geographic factors also play a role, said Sinclair, who noted that contamination rates appeared to be higher in Los Angeles than in the two other locations — a phenomenon likely due to that region's weather being more conducive to growth of bacteria in reusable bags.
The report, "Assessment of the Potential for Cross Contamination of Food Products by Reusable Shopping Bags," offered the following policy recommendations for lawmakers, as well as tips for consumers who use reusable grocery bags:
* States should consider requiring printed instructions on reusable bags indicating they need to cleaned or bleached between uses.
* State and local governments should invest in a public education campaign to alert the public about risk and prevention.
* When using reusable bags, consumers should be careful to separate raw foods from other food products.
* Consumers should not use reusable food bags for other purposes such as carrying books or gym clothes.
* Consumers should not store meat or produce in the trunks of their cars because the higher temperature promotes growth of bacteria, which can contaminate reusable bags.
"As scientists, our focus was not on the relative merits of paper, plastic or reusable grocery bags," Gerba said. "Our intent was purely to provide relevant data to better inform consumers and lawmakers about the public health dimensions that could arise from increased use of reusable bags. With this knowledge, people will be in a better position to protect their health and that of their children."
About the report:
Field research for "Assessment of the Potential for Cross Contamination of Food Products by Reusable Shopping Bags" was conducted according to established scientific methodologies and best practices.
The samples tested included 84 actual consumer reusable bags (25 in Los Angeles, 25 in San Francisco, 34 in Tucson). All but four of those bags were made of woven polypropylene. New reusable bags and plastic bags were tested; none contained any contamination.
The American Chemistry Council underwrote the research project, which was conducted independently of the organization.
Comments (2)
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I doubt that the researchers can cite a single case where infection resulted from use of reusable bags. The same researchers have written about environmental contamination of washing machines, desks, computer keyboards, telephones, etc...
As someone who works with bacterial diseases, I have to dispute the public health ramifications of this work. Although, coliforms are detected, the actual counts of bacteria are not typically reported. I have used reusable bags for years, and I don't treat my washing machine with bleach at all. Nonetheless, no one in my family has had problems with infection. Bacterial loads needed to cause infection are often relatively high and it is quite difficult to cause infection in healthy individuals with the pathogens that they are reporting about. While it is true that infection can occur with lower bacterial loads in persons who have a compromised immune system, broken skin, etc., you still can't get infection without a substantial bacterial load. Perhaps their work should be reported in peer review science literature before being released to the public. Even then, statements about public health risk should be withheld until proper studies are done. These types of articles taken out of context are alarming to the public and may lead to concerns about the use of reusable bags. Certainly the sponsor of the study is happy with the results since they would like to sell NEW plastic bags by the billions.
As a parent, I would like to see a good future for my children and perhaps their children. If we don't do something about disposable plastics and our thirst for petroleum products, the future is concerning. I have participated in clean ups sponsored by Tucson Clean and Beautiful and you wouldn't believe the number of plastic bags and similar products that litter our city. A more balanced view of relative risks is appropriate, and such balance is not usually conveyed in the press releases. The researchers need to do a better job of stating limitations of their findings and particularly extrapolating their finding to public health risk. Moreover, newspaper reporters also need to tone down the sensationalized message.
David E. Nix, Pharm.D.
Professor
Infectious Disease Pharmacist
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While I'm sure the reusable bags may contain harmful bacteria is some cases, I believe the time sensitive article was published to scare consumers in California. The American Chemistry Council conducted the study, which should be taken into account. They are an association of chemical and plastic companies who support and prop up the plastic industry by proposing their own standards on environmental hazards. In this case, they are suggesting that California shouldn't pass the bill to end the use of plastic bags. It's a very biased study with a specific agenda that warrants an independent study by environmentalists.
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