Keeping your Reusable bags cleaned and Bacteria free.

When you are using reusable grocery bags and bins, the biggest concern for food safety is cross-contamination. Because these kinds of grocery bags and bins are used frequently, they can pick up bacteria from foods they carry.

Bacteria can also be transferred from the environment, from places such as the grocery cart, the ground and the car. These reusable bags and bins are often used to carry other items as well. Bacteria can transfer onto foods when you place them into the bags and bins and can cause foodborne illness for your family.

Here are some food safety tips that you can follow to help lower the risk of cross-contamination:

•When you are using cloth bags, make sure to wash them frequently, especially after carrying fresh produce, meat, poultry or fish. Some reusable grocery bags may not be machine washable. If you are using this type of grocery bag, you should make sure to wash them by hand frequently with hot soapy water. Plastic bins should be washed using hot soapy water on a regular basis as well.
•If you notice that juices from your food have leaked into the bag or bin, make sure you wash them before using them again.
•You should put fresh or frozen raw meat, poultry and fish in separate bins or bags from fresh produce and other ready to eat foods.
•You can also put your meat, poultry or fish in plastic bags, such as the clear bags you can find in the produce and some meat sections. This will help prevent the juices from leaking out and contaminating your reusable bags and bins and also other foods. Fresh produce should also always be placed in plastic bags to protect them from contamination.
•If you are using your grocery bags or bins to store or transport non-food items, they should be thoroughly washed before using them for groceries.
•Always follow proper safe food handling and preparation techniques in your kitchen, whether or not you are using reusable grocery bags. The four key steps are: clean, separate, cook and chill.
•After putting your groceries away, clean the areas where you placed your bags or bins while unbagging your food, especially the kitchen counter and the kitchen table

Hope this helps. We are always getting quesions on this, so thought we would put it to all to enjoy.

January 20th

So excited that today is the first blog on Girls Go Green. I will hopefully be able to enlighten you with a good laugh, ideas, or missions to keep everyone thinking of our enviroment. I open the door to all who have comments or great sharing ideas for all to read and enjoy.....

First Mission: Why are we here to protect out planet? What's in store for the next generation of family and friends?

Share any and all stories that you have seen be successful, then we can use in our daily lives as we see fit.....