Is It Safe to Skip Plastic Produce
Bags When Grocery Shopping? Many people have recently shifted away
from using plastic produce bags in order
to be more environmentally conscious. While it may seem like the more sustainable
choice, it also has unsanitary drawbacks. Traditional grocery store carts have
been found to have 73,356 colony-forming
units (CFU) per square inch. That’s about 361 times more
dirty than a bathroom doorknob. Grocery store conveyor belts are also bacteria hubs,
as the PVC material it’s made of is porous, meaning
it's hard to clean and bacteria-filled. It’s also important to take into account
how many staff and customers have already
touched the food item you’re purchasing. Instead of going bagless, which increases
your foods exposure to all these things,
it’s best to bring a re-usable bag. Re-usable mesh, nylon and cotton bags will allow you
to avoid plastic waste and decrease germ exposure. No matter what method you decide on,
the most important thing is to properly clean
your fruits and veggies before eating them.