Caution: Recycled shopping bags hide deadly bacteria

Recyclable shopping bags are popular because they are environmentally friendly. According to a report from the UK’s Daily Telegraph on June 30th, a new study shows that such shopping bags may contain deadly bacteria and pose a serious threat to public health.

University of Arizona medical experts Charles Geba and others randomly selected 84 shoppers' shopping bags. According to the test, half of the bags contained E. coli, which caused 26 Scots to die in 1996. Scientists also found that most of the bags contain salmonella, especially after they have been filled with raw meat. The researchers found that most of these shopping bags are made of jute and polypropylene fabrics. Although they are green, they are not contaminated with bacteria if they are not sterilized regularly. The study also showed that the hotter the climate, the greater the threat to human health from this pollution. Because when people ingest food contaminated with E. coli, the bacteria will enter the body. It can be a lethal threat to children and the elderly.

A poll also showed that 97% of shoppers never cleaned or disinfected their shopping bags. Researchers believe that consumers usually do not have the idea of ​​cleaning the shopping bags on a regular basis. In addition, general common cleaning does not kill germs. Experts suggest that people at least once a week to the high temperature of the shopping bag sterilization, such as boiling water for 10-15 minutes, which can completely eliminate pathogenic bacteria.