News: Researchers find high levels of E. coli on shopping carts

It’s such a simple routine; you head to the grocery store, grab a shopping cart, plunk your purse’or perhaps your toddler’in the seat, and off to the produce section you go. But hold on a minute’did you wipe down the handle on that cart before you started pushing it? Most of us don’t give it a second thought, but new research from the University of Arizona reveals that your grocery cart might actually be covered in E. coli, reports MSNBC.com.

After examining swabs from grocery store carts in four states, researchers from the University of Arizona found that 50 percent of the carts had handles contaminated with E. coli and other bacteria. That doesn’t inspire good feelings when your little one starts using said handle as a teething ring.

‘That’s more than you find in a supermarket’s restroom,’ Charles Gerba, lead researcher and professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona told MSNBC.com. ‘That’s because they use disinfecting cleaners in the restrooms. Nobody routinely cleans and disinfects shopping carts.’

Let’s face it though’we’re not always going to remember to bring a stash of alcohol wipes along for a last-minute grocery run. And I’m sure that baskets aren’t exempt from bacteria, either’not to mention the door to the grocery store, or the money you’re using to pay for that bag of milk. While you can’t live in a bubble, you can take a few simple steps to protect yourself and your family from potentially harmful germs. Don’t forget to wash your hands, and make sure your kids understand the importance of good hand hygiene, too.

Are you worried about grocery store germs? Do you clean the handle of your shopping cart before you use it?

Related:
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‘ Top 10 myths and truths about viruses and bacteria
‘ News: Dish towels are crawling with bacteria: so what?