While the use of reusable cloth bags is quickly becoming the ‘norm’ when grocery shopping and is an excellent way to reduce our impact on the environment, there are health and safety concerns to consider.

The Canadian Plastics Industry Association recently performed a random analysis of reusable cloth shopping bags and found that over 30% of the bags contained unsafe levels of harmful bacteria and 40% of the bags had yeast or mould.  Surprising results from an eco-friendly carrying bag that only a few years ago many people would not have considered using.

The good news is that it’s easily preventable.  Simply make a habit of regularly washing your reusable cloth bags, especially those used to transport meat and other perishable food items.  Make sure meat is wrapped tightly with no rips or holes in the packaging to prevent leakage and keep microorganisms at bay.  Another good practice is to make grocery shopping the last errand before you head home so you can store perishable food items in the refrigerator or freezer within two hours of purchase to limit exposure to higher temperatures where harmful bacteria can multiply rapidly.