Question Could I transfer bacteria from fresh produce from my hands to other items in my cart? I ask this because today I bought fresh spinach and then opened a box of crackers for my one year old to hold and snack on. I then realized that that fresh spinach is associated with e.coli and took it away and washed his hands and mouth and my hands.
I have two questions-I am very worried he could have ingested e.coli bacteria, is this possible? And is there a real risk to handling fresh produce? I always wash my hands after grocery shopping but maybe that's not enough?
Answer Fresh produce should always be washed before use. It is possible to inadvertently transfer soil from the produce to your hands. The soil may contain bacteria, though this is rare.
You should wash your hands after handling raw produce, prior to preparing food.
It is possible, though unlikely, that you transferred bacteria from the produce to your child's crackers. A greater risk is the cart he is sitting in while eating crackers and transfer of bacteria from the cart to his hands.
