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Lana Lam

Next time you grab your canvas shopping bags, think again because they could be making you sick.
Since the government introduced a plastic bag levy in 2009, more people are taking reusable canvas bags to the local supermarket or wet market.
But a Hong Kong food safety expert and clinical microbiologist has warned of the possible dangers lurking in your environmentally friendly reusable grocery bags, especially if they are used for both food and non-food items.
Dr Hani El-Nezami, who heads Hong Kong University's food safety and toxicology laboratory, says there is growing concern about food-borne bacteria breeding in the bags because of cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods.
"Some bags support the growth of bacteria, especially if they are used to carry raw meat or raw fish," El-Nezami said.
"In particular, bags made from any natural material can harbour bacteria if they get damp or are not cleaned regularly."
Most consumers had a "careless attitude" and simply did not wash their canvas bags, El-Nezami said
One US study revealed that just one in six people washed their reusable bags.
"I don't wash them myself," he admitted.
"No one has done studies about it in Hong Kong, but it is a true risk because it is humid here and a lot of people in this city are using them.
"In the wet market, it's a major worry especially with [bacteria like] salmonella and E coli." El-Nezami pointed out that a number of overseas studies had identified the presence of bacteria in bags including one incident where nine members of a soccer team fell ill because they had eaten food carried in a reusable bag that was dirty.
"The government should be bringing this to the attention of consumers," El-Nezami said.
The Centre for Food Safety, which is managed by the Food and Environmental Health Department, said the use of canvas grocery bags did not come under its remit.
The Health Department said it advised the public to prevent foodborne disease by storing perishable items in the fridge and keeping raw and cooked food in separate containers to avoid cross contamination.


Reusable shopping bags may be bringing home bacteria

Student Murphy Wan Lam-yin and Dr Hani El-Nezami get to work testing a canvas bag in the HKU laboratory. Photo: Jonathan Wong

News

Hong Kong

Although canvas bags are green, they may be the source of nasty bacteria if you don't wash them


Next time you grab your canvas shopping bags, think again because they could be making you sick. Since the government introduced a plastic bag levy in 2009, more people are taking reusable canvas bags to the local supermarket or wet market.


Reusable shopping bags may be bringing home bacteria

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Although canvas bags are green, they may be the source of nasty bacteria if you don't wash them

Although canvas bags are green, they may be the source of nasty bacteria if you don't wash them