We know that the office can sometimes harbor germs, and your home can too, but what about when you’re out and about? We don’t often think about the grossest places out in stores, especially those stores that stock your food items. However, because those stores do stock food, they have more of a chance of getting germy and harboring bacteria than others. Let’s take a look at the 3 worst culprits for bacteria at the supermarket.
1. The checkout area (and everything attached to it)
It’s to be said that the places that generate the most traffic and get the most contact have the worst germs. The checkout counter is one of those places. With people constantly touching the belts, PIN pads, lane dividers, and more, it can be hard for employees to clean these areas on a consistent basis and fully. Keep that in mind after you’re touching the PIN pad, signature pen, conveyor belt, or anywhere else on the checkout counter!
2. Prepackaged meat
You probably already know this one, but prepackaged meat can have all kinds of germs and bacteria surrounding it. This is because meat juices can seep out of the packaging and onto other areas, including your hands. While supermarkets do a pretty good job keeping various meats separate, if you put them all together in your cart you might be risking cross contamination.
3. Fruit
You probably haven’t thought about this one, but think about how we assess fruit. We pick it up, sometimes smell it, or do any variety of other things. Think about all the hands that picked up those loose apples or oranges before you — and where they might have been, including touching those aforementioned meat packages! Make sure to wash all your fruit thoroughly before eating it, if not to wash off pesticides, but also to wash off other people’s germs.
