Beauty 4 Moms

They may be good for the environment but reusable grocery bags can be a breeding ground for dangerous bacteria and could cause a serious risk to your health, according to a new report.

Researchers randomly tested bags carried by shoppers in Tucson, Los Angeles, and San Francisco and found bacteria levels significant enough to cause a wide range of serious health problems and even death. The study also found consumers were almost completely unaware of the need to regularly wash their bags.

“Our findings suggest a serious threat to public health, especially from coliform bacteria including E. coli, which were detected in half of the bags sampled,” says Charles Gerba, a University of Arizona professor and coauthor of the study. “Consumers are alarmingly unaware of these risks and the critical need to sanitize their bags on a weekly basis.”

Read the full story at Futurity.