Carla Schwan, professor and extension food safety specialist, and Tracey Brigman, professor and licensed dietitian in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, spoke with Martha Stewart about reusing plastic sandwich and freezer bags.
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According to Schwan, it’s generally safe to reuse a plastic bag if it has been properly washed first. However, whether the bag is safe to reuse ultimately depends on what was in the bag and the condition of the bag.
“The best items to keep in a resealable bag to ensure it remains safe for reuse are dry goods such as baked products, cookie dough, grains, or nuts (as long as it is not an allergy-triggering food),” Brigman said.
If a resealable plastic bag contained any of the big nine allergens, such as tree nuts, peanuts or sesame, it is not suitable for reuse as these foods may leave trace allergens and pose a risk of cross-contact, Schwan said.
The bag should be disposed of if it has any signs of mold or yeast growth or if it appears damaged, cloudy or dirty, Brigman added.
The number of times you can reuse a plastic bag depends on the material of the bag, how it is cleaned and what was previously stored in the bag.
“Different bags and materials may withstand more washes than others. It is always a good idea to inspect the bag for any signs of wear or damage after each use and discard if necessary,” Schwan said.
No matter what was stored inside the plastic bag, you must wash it before reusing.
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“The best way to clean a resealable bag for reuse is to wash it with soap and water. Do not turn the bag inside out when washing, as that can result in stress or tears in the bag,” Brigman said.
When cleaning, be sure to scrub the seams thoroughly since food can get stuck in the seal. Rinse the bag well and wait until it is completely dry before reusing it.
Whether you use them frequently or on a limited basis, plastic freezer and sandwich bags are items that many people keep on hand. But if you want to cut back on your plastic use, you may be wondering if you can reuse this food storage staple more than once. To answer this question, we spoke to food safety experts who explained how to reuse resealable bags safely and when to throw them away.
Generally, it can be safe to reuse a plastic bag as long as it is washed properly first, says Carla L. Schwan, Ph.D., assistant professor and extension food safety specialist director at the National Center for Home Food Preservation. With that being said, whether or not it's safe to reuse a plastic bag ultimately comes down to what was in the bag and the condition it's in once you're done using it.
Some foods are safer to keep in plastic resealable bags that you plan to reuse than others. "The best items to keep in a resealable bag to ensure it remains safe for reuse are dry goods such as baked products, cookie dough, grains, or nuts (as long as it is not an allergy-triggering food)," says Tracey Brigman, EdD, MS, RDN, LD, clinical associate professor and associate director for the National Center for Home Food Preservation at the University of Georgia.
There are some instances in which you should never reuse a plastic freezer or sandwich bag. "We do not recommend reusing any bags that have held raw meat, fish, eggs, or potentially allergy-triggering foods," says a spokesperson from Ziploc. A resealable bag that contained any of the big nine allergens, such as tree nuts, peanuts, or sesame, is not suitable for reuse as these foods may leave trace allergens and pose a risk of cross-contact, says Schwan.
You should also never reuse a plastic resealable plastic bag if it has any signs of mold or yeast growth, as you run the risk of potentially contaminating whatever is stored in the bag next. Additionally, anytime the bag is damaged, cloudy, or dirty, it should not be reused, says Brigman.
How often you reuse a plastic bag depends on a few factors, such as the material of the bag, how it is cleaned (and how well), and what was stored in the bag previously, says Schwan. "Different bags and materials may withstand more washes than others. It is always a good idea to inspect the bag for any signs of wear or damage after each use and discard if necessary," she says.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website Resealable Plastic Food Bags.