Germs lurk in environmentally-friendly bags
Fungus, bacteria and yeast found in recyclable bag
Posted: 11/21/2012
BALTIMORE - Whether you are paying bills on line or recycling your cans, more people are going green. That includes at the grocery store.
There is a huge push to do away with plastic bags and shop with the reusable ones. It's a trend that is growing... and so is the bacteria in those bags.
Local microbiology students wiped the inside of three cloth shopping bags as a part of our research into the cleanliness of the reusable bags. The sterile swabs sat in an incubator for three days allowing bacteria to grow.
All the bags had bacteria, fungus and yeast.
While bacteria can live in the reusable bags, experts say don't be too grossed out. They say the cloth doesn't create a friendly environment for bacteria to grow.
They do recommend that you treat those reusable bags like dirty clothes. When you do laundry, throw the bag in as well.
Studies show washing the bags decreases any possible contamination by 99 percent.
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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