According to recent news reports, a recent study found the handle and seat of a grocery cart could harbor a million bacteria.


Michele Samuels suspected it wasn't the cleanest area to put children, so when she gets a grocery cart, she does a quick sanitation investigation.

"I'll find candy wrappers or spilled sodas or pieces of fruit or vegetables," she described. "I really think about e. coli. I think about salmonella."

The Centers for Disease Control said riding in shopping carts is risky for kids, especially infants.

Foodborne bacteria from meat and poultry makes millions of people sick every year, and germ expert Dr. Charles Gerba said that's not even the worst part. The microbiologist conducted a recent study in which he found big problems on grocery carts.

"Overall, slightly more than 60 to 70 percent of the carts had fecal bacteria on them, and usually hundreds of thousands of bacteria on the average shopping cart," he told us. In fact, the buggies had more bacteria than public phones and restrooms!

"Probably because of the large number of people using it, the handling of raw food products. You're probably putting your broccoli right where some kid's bottom was," he said.

Now, supermarkets are taking action. Some have installed cart sanitizing systems or disposable sanitary wipes for customers.

Michele swipes the wipes whenever they're available.

"It makes me feel like at least on the cart, when I'm touching the cart, or my son is holding on to the cart, that it's at least cleaned off some of the germs," she said.

What if the store doesn't provide the opportunity to clean your cart? Dr. Gerba says there are other ways. Arm yourself with your own pack of wipes, or bring an alcohol gel sanitizer with you. As soon as you can get to a sink, wash your hands. Michele adds extra protection by placing her food directly into fabric shopping bags, which she can wash.

If your grocer does not provide a way to clean your cart, experts recommend you ask them to!