Question about buying in bulk and contamination

[Mom in High Heels]

So, if you buy in bulk, do you buy things that are in a barrel and people have to scoop out?  I ask because, honestly, it icks me out.  I don't know what other people do.  What if they sneezed, or had a cold, or one of their kids stuck a hand in there while it was open?  Ack!  I have no problem with the bins up top that you put the bag under and pull the handle to fill, but those barrels…I don't know, it just seems like a breeding ground.  Thoughts?

[Mabeline]

I try not to think about it too much. I have noticed that the barrels are only about six inches deep and they get refilled constantly so the contents are fairly fresh. I also figure the contents are all dry so germs don't really breed on dry food.

[LostSurprise]

Interesting. How do you purchase fruit and vegetables?

 

I don't see too many of the open barrel variety, so many bulk items are sold in larger packages. 

[Tap]

For dry bulk goods, unless I am concerned about rodent or insect activity, I don't worry about it.  Raw products are going to be cooked and that will kill the majority of any contamination.  Raw products were also once growing outside and means they were likely walked and pooped on by insects/birds etc and people are no more or less clean that that in my book! Prepared items like pretzels are not any more clean/unclean that eating them at a party out of a big bowl.  

 

 

 

[Mom in High Heels]

Interesting. How do you purchase fruit and vegetables?

 

I don't see too many of the open barrel variety, so many bulk items are sold in larger packages. 

 

I wash fruits and veg, so that doesn't bother me.  These bins had loads of things in them like cereal, chips, nuts, candy, etc. (though not all junky foods).  The oats, flour and other things that will be cooked don't bother me so much, it's just the things that can't be washed or cooked that make me wonder.

[LucyStoner]

I buy in bulk all the time. I know of no data that suggests this is risky. I do wash my hands before I unload my groceries. Hand washing and other precautions are the best we can do. Even if something is in a sealed box it could theoretically be contaminated with something. Cans have BPA in them. I don't see packaged foods as safer at all.

[Mom in High Heels]

For dry bulk goods, unless I am concerned about rodent or insect activity, I don't worry about it.  Raw products are going to be cooked and that will kill the majority of any contamination.  Raw products were also once growing outside and means they were likely walked and pooped on by insects/birds etc and people are no more or less clean that that in my book! Prepared items like pretzels are not any more clean/unclean that eating them at a party out of a big bowl.

 

Yeah, but I generally know most of those people.  :)

[Amira]

After buying food at outdoor markets in several different countries, I don't really worry about it. I've found that practicing safe food handling at home makes all the difference.

[Moxie]

I don't eat at buffet restaurants and I don't buy out of bulk bins.

[Tammi K]

Doesn't matter to me a bit. I don't have studies to back this up but I'm maintaining my belief that dry products like those available in bulk bins  just don't have enough moisture to become a  huge breeding ground for viruses and bacteria. (If you know of suce studies...don't share. I'll remain blissful in my ignorance.) Further I'm going to assume that my immune system (and that of those I love) is able to handle most of the ickies we encounter on a daily basis. We haven't had anyone is this famliy need to take antibiotics in the last 20 years so I'll stick with doing things like we do. I have way to many other things I already worry about.

 

Note: While typing this, I inhaled a piece of rice and proceeded to cough for 15 minutes. I'm pretty sure if I suffer a food related demise it's going to come from aspiration. :crying:

[Sandragood1]

I thought you were going to talk about allergens and cross contamination. :)

 

We can't use bulk bins bc of that.

[GoVanGogh]

I will buy items that will be cooked - dried pasta and beans.

But no way in the world would I buy other items out of bulk - like pretzels, banana chips, chocolate covered nuts, etc. I have seen way too many people sample foods, drop scoop on floor and pick it back up to use, cross contaminate, leave scoop inside the bin, etc.

Some stores seem to patrol this better or have better bins. Example: Centeral Market (Tx chain) has some bins that pour from bottom. They also have signs posted about asking for samples and always have someone walking around that area to assist. Sprouts, on the other hand, seems to be a free-for-all. Their bins are low, at a child's eye height, and I have seen way too many kids dig in to the snack bins with their bare hands.

[GoVanGogh]

Isn't most of the stuff going to be cooked?

 

Rough estimate: only about half the stuff I have seen in bulk bins would be cooked.

Spiced or candied nuts, dried fruits, dry cereal, candy, pretzels, etc wouldn't be cooked. (Well, some dried fruit many be cooked, but not always.)

Things like oatmeal, flours, dried beans and pasta would.

I will admit I am slightly paranoid of germs, but I wouldn't (per an example above) eat pretzels out of a bowl at the party if I saw someone taste and put back, sneeze over, pick nose then dig into pretzels. Just a few things I have seen at bulk bins.

Bins of, say, dried fruits will still contain enough moisture to be a great breeding ground.

[FriedClams]

I don't mind the twisty dispenser ones (where you intend to buy 1/4 pound of cashews and get 2 1/2 pounds) but I don't do bins or buffets. Grosses me out too much.

[Spryte]

I thought you were going to talk about allergens and cross contamination. :)

 

We can't use bulk bins bc of that.

 

I thought the same thing.  :)  No bulk bins for us, for that reason.

 

If we did not worry about cross contamination with allergens, I would use bulk bins for the reasons others have listed above.  I actually think it's safer with regard to contamination with BPAs etc.  

[Jackie]

I buy lots of stuff in bulk. We also play in children's play spaces and I can't imagine anywhere having more germs that that. My only issue with buffets is that the food is usually so low-quality, not the germs. Our local natural foods co-op has a huge bulk bin section and even supplies measuring cups so I can measure out my ingredients when a recipe calls for 1/3 cup of something I don't keep around. I love that I can get just the amount I want and no more. They also have a ton of herbs and spices at maybe 1/10th the prices of buying the jars of spices at the larger grocery in town. And again, if I just need a teaspoon of cloves for baking, I can get a teaspoon of cloves for a few cents instead of spending a few dollars for a full jar.

[Ripley]

I do it without hesitation - even things like nuts, that won't be cooked. 

 

I also use shopping carts without wiping them down with the available sanityzing wipes. LOL

 

Mom always said I was a daredevil. :coolgleamA:

[Mom in High Heels]

 

 

Mom always said I was a daredevil. :coolgleamA:

 

You wild woman!

[GreenKitty]

I don't eat at buffet restaurants and I don't buy out of bulk bins.

 

Ditto

[Renee in NC]

I do it without hesitation - even things like nuts, that won't be cooked. 

 

I also use shopping carts without wiping them down with the available sanityzing wipes. LOL

 

Mom always said I was a daredevil. :coolgleamA:

 

I'm with you.  There are germs EVERYWHERE.  We have immune systems for a reason.