Shoppers are bringing home much more than they bargain for when they come home from the grocery store.
And re-usable cloth grocery bags are making the germ problem worst because many people don't wash those bags after using them.
Shopping cart handles are also hotspots for germs in grocery stores.
"When the kids are in here have they ever put their mouths on them?" said a shopper. "Oh, they have. I try to stop them from doing that, but sometimes it's just out of your control."
Another problem with shopping carts is the seat. Many children site there—the same place where many others keep their food.
Germ expert Jason Tetro found fecal matter on one of the shopping carts swabbed by CTV Ottawa's Catherine Lathem.
A bacterium known as pseudomonas—which can cause infection in open wounds—was also found, along with yeast. There were also traces of E.Coli.
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"We can't trust a cart to be safe," said Tetro. "We have to take responsibility for the safety of that cart." |
The biggest worry is that if these germs are on bags and shopping carts then they're also on the public's food.
"What it means is that everything is going to have germs on it," said Tetro. "You should really follow good hygienic procedures when preparing your food."
"Make sure that you give your food a good wash. You should also give the bags a good wash."
Experts say shoppers should ask their grocers what they're d
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Catherine Lathem.
