You Should Be Safer at the Grocery Store
When we think of food poisoning, we usually think of frequent memories of food, from salads to onions to dried spices .
But it’s also possible to get food poisoning if someone infected with a virus or bacteria (which may or may not have symptoms) doesn’t wash their hands thoroughly after going to the toilet and then touches something that will come into contact with food. which you end up eating (or the food itself). In fact, salmonella, E. coli, and norovirus—the leading causes of foodborne illness—are often spread this way, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration .
Not only that, but how you shop and how you package and store groceries for delivery from the store to your home can lead to food safety issues. Here’s how to avoid them on your next trip to the grocery store.
How to stay safe at the grocery store
In a recent Consumer Reports article , the magazine’s Chief Scientist James Dickerson, Ph.D. offers the following tips to make your next trip to the grocery store safer:
Wash reusable canvas bags
If you rely on canvas bags to get groceries home from the store, it’s important to wash them regularly. In addition to visible dirt and stains, these bags can also be contaminated with bacteria and mold that build up over time from food carried in the bags, Dickerson explains.
Wipe down your cart or basket
This is what Dickerson says we should be doing all the time, with or without a pandemic. No one expects you to do a full wipe, but if nothing else, make sure you get a handle (that’s what everyone touches) and a seat (that’s where diaper-ass kids go) and any other parts you expect. touch a lot.
Shop in order based on when food goes bad
Start your grocery store journey by getting what you need from the center aisles, which typically contain foods that don’t require refrigeration and have a longer shelf life.
Dickerson then recommends moving on to the frozen food section, then to fresh food, produce and dairy, and finally to the raw foods on your list, including everything in the deli because they are the most sensitive to temperature. He also suggests taking at least one thermal bag with you to keep everything cool from the store to the fridge.
Pay attention to fresh products
Gently shake any wet foods you plan to buy before placing them in the plastic bag. When packaged wet foods are refrigerated, they will rot faster than dry foods.
Take care of the leakage of meat juice
Take any raw and fresh meat (including fish) in an inside-out grocery bag, then turn it inside out. This prevents meat juices from being touched, which could leak out, and those bacteria inadvertently spreading to your products and everything you touch in the rest of the store, says Dickerson. Storing the meat packs in a plastic bag ensures that the juice that runs out does not spread to other foods in the cart.