As the UK gears up for the biggest food shop of the year, hygiene experts from Addmaster are warning that the reusable bags we rely on every Christmas may be carrying far more than festive groceries.
The Christmas shop typically means handling large turkeys, joints, raw meat packs and ready-to-eat foods, often all thrown into the same bag without a second thought. But research shows that what’s already inside those bags could be a hidden problem.
Reusable bags are rarely cleaned, yet they’re used for everything from muddy sports kit to pet items, gardening tools and school shoes.
In consumer studies conducted by Addmaster, people admitted to transporting everything from leaking takeaway containers to, in extreme cases, even wildlife.
It’s no surprise then that independent tests have found worrying levels of contamination. One study in the US detected harmful bacteria in 51% of reusable bags, while another UK investigation classed nearly half of tested bags as ‘heavily contaminated’. In laboratory conditions, E. coli survived for 48 hours inside a reusable bag, while Staphylococcus aureus lasted up to eight weeks.
The risk spikes at Christmas, when households buy larger meat products that can drip or leave residue on packaging. The Food Standards Agency estimates that there are now approximately 2.4 million cases of foodborne illness per year in the UK, with a large number linked to Campylobacter, found on 70% of fresh chicken and even 7% of outer packaging, the equivalent of 44 million contaminated packs annually.
To help address this, several leading retailers now offer reusable bags incorporating Biomaster antimicrobial technology from Addmaster, a long-standing leader in additive technology.
Once built into the bag material during manufacture, the technology has been shown in independent tests to reduce levels of E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus by over 99%.
These bags are already widely available in UK supermarkets including Marks & Spencer, with similar ranges seen in Morrisons, Asda and Tesco.
“Christmas is the one time of year when we buy the largest meat products and handle them under pressure and in crowded stores,” said Paul Willocks, Global Marketing Director at Addmaster.
“It’s the perfect moment to remind shoppers to dedicate one bag to raw meat and consider using bags with added antimicrobial protection for peace of mind.”
Microbiologists have long warned that bacteria can transfer from reusable bags to hands and back again, especially when bags are reused for different purposes. Using the same bag repeatedly for different purposes increases the risk of contaminating the bag with a whole host of harmful bacteria.
Paul concluded: “The message this Christmas is simple: with millions of festive food shops underway, hygiene awareness matters. Shoppers are being encouraged to dedicate one bag specifically for raw meat, avoid mixing groceries with household or pet items, and consider choosing bags with built-in antimicrobial product protection for added reassurance.
“If a little festive reminder helps even a few households shop smarter this season, it’s a message worth sharing.”
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You can purchase antimicrobial ‘Bags For Life’ in-store or from the following links:
- M&S – https://www.marksandspencer.com/food/l/household/food-preparation-and-storage/bags-and-storage
- Morrisons – https://groceries.morrisons.com/categories/household/bags-for-life/180141
- Tesco – https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/307267485
You can find out more about Biomaster Antimicrobial Technology at: https://www.addmaster.co.uk/technologies/biomaster
Addmaster
Addmaster (UK) Ltd is a leading supplier of high performance, technically innovative additives to the plastics, textile, paper, paints and coatings industries. Addmaster provides additive masterbatches, liquid or powder dispersions for any application. For more information about Addmaster or Biomaster Antimicrobial Protection call +44 (0) 1785 225656 or visit www.addmaster.co.uk
Biomaster
Biomaster Protected products are tested to ISO standards and are proven to be effective against the most common types of bacteria such as E. coli, MRSA, Listeria, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Legionella and Pseudomonas. Biomaster Antimicrobial Technology and Biomaster Protected are Registered Trademarks of Addmaster (UK) Ltd.