More and more Cayman residents are turning to reusable grocery bags to take home their shopping, preventing at least a few plastic bags from ending up at Mt. Trashmore.

But since the reusable bags are being used for food, they need to be kept clean.

Dr. Monica Hoefert of the Seven Mile Medical Clinic notes that the bags join a host of other kitchen items like fridge doors, dish towels, and kitchen sponges, which all breed germs quite easily.

“If you can find a reusable bag that is washable that would be better, like the canvas bags for example,” she said.

“And certainly if something leaks in it make sure you wash it and if you can’t then don’t use it for food anymore.”

Researchers at the University of Arizona and Loma Linda University found coli form bacteria in half of the bags they tested and E. coli in 12 per cent of the bags.

Pro-plastic lobby

Their study was funded by the American Chemistry Council, which is opposed to a California bill that would ban single-use plastic bags. But while the study was funded by the pro-plastic bag lobby, the fact remains those reusable bags definitely collect germs.

Similarly, report findings from the Canadian Plastics Industry Association’s Environment and Plastics Industry Council support concerns that reusable grocery bags can become habitat for microbes and a breeding ground for bacteria, yeast, mould and coli forms.

“The moist, dark, warm interior of a folded reusable bag that has acquired a small amount of water and a trace of food contamination is an ideal incubator for bacteria,” the Canadian report stated.

However, the American study found that running the bags through a washer or cleaning them by hand reduced bacteria levels to almost nothing.

The Canadian study did advise that bags not be dried lying flat. Instead, turn them inside out and suspend them in order to properly air them out.

“This will avoid the creation of a moist habitat for bacteria, mould and yeast,” it stated.

Replace them

“Consideration should also be given to replacing the reusables regularly to avoid the whole issue of bacterial build up.”

Hoefert notes that if you are going to use a reusable bag for food, it should be kept exclusively for carrying food.

“Definitely you should not be putting other things like shoes in there or gym clothes,” she said.

But in general terms, Dr. Hoeffert notes that above all, hand washing is key.

“Make sure you wash your hands when you get in the house from outside,” she said.

“That is a really important way of fighting germs.”