Is it just me? Raw meat at the grocery store

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

Ah, yes! The eye-rolling, "whatever" teenage type of thing that has spread to adults. Don't you love it?

I was a cashier at a grocery store when I was in college. I worked there for about a year and we had several training sessions on how to bag groceries where everyone had to come in during an evening after the store was closed.

The other day, my mom was talking about how gross the outside of grocery store meat packages must be. The meat dept employee is cutting and/or portioning the meat and then they wrap it. I would guess they don't change gloves between putting the meat in the tray and wrapping it. So, you'd have to have contamination in the outside of the wrapper.



I have to say that I think there are tons of odd illnesses that happen to people I know. For example, Guillain Barre Syndrome has a higher incidence in slaughter house employees.

Okay? And?

 

[tina.tina]

Okay? And?

I'm sorry, I don't understand your post. Are you asking me something specifically?

I quoted your post, but it didn't mean I was talking to you.... I was joining in on the thread in general.

 

[LBIJim]

My first real paying job was as a bagger/cart boy at a supermarket. These were the brown paper bag only days. I don't recall any formal training for bagging, just reminders to use common sense. i.e., don't put eggs or bread on the bottom of the bag and then heavy stuff on top of them. I don't ever recall someone asking to have meat bagged separately. There were no worries about cross contamination 40 years ago.

They used to have smaller paper bags to put your half-gallon blocks of ice cream in if desired. Haven't seen them in ages.

 

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

I'm sorry, I don't understand your post. Are you asking me something specifically?

I quoted your post, but it didn't mean I was talking to you.... I was joining in on the thread in general.

I misunderstood your reply. It's all good.

 

[bgg319]

A manager was checking me out at Kroger not to long ago and the high school kid bagging started to put the meat in with other products. The manager shot him a look and I took it that there was a seperate bagging policy in place. I'm with you on the grossing out part.

 

[AnAmericanInDisney]

Everything is wrapped in plastic, so I don't see the issue. I bag it all together if I'm doing it myself.

It bothers me when the deli uses the same slicer for meat and cheese. They always clean and break down all but one at night and use it for everything.

 

[leebee]

Honestly, I never worry about this kind of thing. Yes, I use separate cutting boards for meat, veggies, and bread products, but that's about as far as I go on the 'worry-scale.' I bag my meat in plastic in the meat section but never thought about it with regards to cross-contamination; I just don't like raw meat juice on my hands. I grew up in a family that ate raw burger as a "treat"- my mom's version of steak tartare- so it really doesn't cross my radar.

Do you wash off all your canned goods, prepackaged products, etc.? Think of all the people who have handled that package before you ever open it. I worry more about that than about bacterial cross-contamination across several layers of plastic, metal, wrapping, etc.

 

[aprilgail]

. Well, he also bagged all the lunch meats by themselves. Lol!

Lunch meat? Is that like cans of spam or something?

 

[THEDISNEYTHREE]

Lunch meat? Is that like cans of spam or something?

No, it was the pre-packaged deli slices of turkey and ham.

 

[SEA333]

I use the plastic bags from the meat section. The baggers always ask if I want the meat put in a separate plastic bag or in my reusable bags and I say "just stick them in the reusable". They are already inside plastic packages, inside plastic bags, so I don't think a 3rd layer of plastic really matters.

Curious - OP and others - how do you store your meat once it's home? Do you leave it in its original packaging and stick it in the fridge/freezer, or do you store it in something else? I tend to leave stuff in the original package, and it does sit next to other foot items/containers on the shelf... I guess I've never thought about it because I've never had a package leak/spill.

OP here...if I'm using it that day or next, it stays in the plastic grocery bag in the fridge. I try to put it so that it's not touching anything else. I have three kids and they won't look to see if chicken juice just spilled on top of their yogurt.

All other meat, I either wrap the plastic grocery bag it came in and throw it in the freezer, or if it's a big package, which I usually buy, I divide it out between freezer bags and in the freezer it goes.


I

 

[smiths02]

I put my meat in those plastic produce bags as others have said. I also help the baggers out by putting things in sections on the belt. My meat is always next to cold or freezer items which are also packaged. I don't put my meat on the belt next to produce.

 

[SEA333]

I'm surprised my whole family isn't dead from all this raw meat contamination I keep seeing. It's interesting to read about all the things I'm supposed to monitor and/or perform here on the DIS. I've not given many of these a first or second thought. Now I'm gonna go outside and get a drink from the water hose. Be right back.

I'm not...healthy humans can fight off a lot.

HOWEVER:

I'm no germophobe by any means - I advocate the NON-use of hand sanitizer and my kids have played in the dirt their whole lives and, frankly, much as I would love a spotless house, I love my kids helping with chores better. So obviously it's not hospital-sterile around here 24/7 (or ever). However, when it comes to raw meat coming into contact with yogurt or an apple that is going to be consumed by a 9 year old who won't even think about whether raw chicken just sat on top of it for the past 20 minutes in the trunk, I have an issue with that.

And, that same 9 year old was in the hospital for a week when he was a kindergartner because of what they thought at the time was food poisoning (salmonella). I spoke with quite a few heath care professionals about that bacteria, which, incidentally, one of the biggest culprits is RAW MEAT. It turned out to be noro-virus and not food poisoning, but the symptoms present the same. I don''t know if you have ever had a healthy, strong, happy 5 year old one week and then go from 40 lbs to 32 lbs the next week and be hooked up to a million machines and have to sleep in the hospital next to him and not be able to do anything for him when he cries (or worse, when he is so dehydrated that he can't cry), but if expecting my raw meat to be handled with common sense means never having to do THAT again, I'm in.

And, as their dad, if you don't care....I would not hesitate to bet that your child's mother might care a little more....but that is just my guess.

Now, it is hot out here today....think I may go have a drink from the water hose too.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Edited to chage spelling/wording: "And, as their dad, if you don't care..."

 

[soccerdad72]

And, as the dad, if you don't care....I would not hesitate to bet that your child's mother might care a little more....but that is just my guess.

Are you trying to imply that dads don't care about their children's safety as much as mothers?

 

[aprilgail]

No, it was the pre-packaged deli slices of turkey and ham.

Oh ok- cold cuts.

 

[SEA333]

Are you trying to imply that dads don't care about their children's safety as much as mothers?

Sorry....I meant to say "As THEIR Dad". Only implying it to the PP

 

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

I'm not...healthy humans can fight off a lot.

HOWEVER:

I'm no germophobe by any means - I advocate the NON-use of hand sanitizer and my kids have played in the dirt their whole lives and, frankly, much as I would love a spotless house, I love my kids helping with chores better. So obviously it's not hospital-sterile around here 24/7 (or ever). However, when it comes to raw meat coming into contact with yogurt or an apple that is going to be consumed by a 9 year old who won't even think about whether raw chicken just sat on top of it for the past 20 minutes in the trunk, I have an issue with that.

And, that same 9 year old was in the hospital for a week when he was a kindergartner because of what they thought at the time was food poisoning (salmonella). I spoke with quite a few heath care professionals about that bacteria, which, incidentally, one of the biggest culprits is RAW MEAT. It turned out to be noro-virus and not food poisoning, but the symptoms present the same. I don''t know if you have ever had a healthy, strong, happy 5 year old one week and then go from 40 lbs to 32 lbs the next week and be hooked up to a million machines and have to sleep in the hospital next to him and not be able to do anything for him when he cries (or worse, when he is so dehydrated that he can't cry), but if expecting my raw meat to be handled with common sense means never having to do THAT again, I'm in.

And, as their dad, if you don't care....I would not hesitate to bet that your child's mother might care a little more....but that is just my guess.

Now, it is hot out here today....think I may go have a drink from the water hose too.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Edited to chage spelling/wording: "And, as their dad, if you don't care..."

Our kids are all adults now and we really don't exercise much control over their food habits at this stage of their lives. And, as their dad, I was the person cooking about 95% of the meals they ate, so I doubt their mother cared a bit more either. In my opinion we've all gone way too far with all of this and we'll only create stronger and more viable germs and bacteria as a result. I'm entitled to my opinion, just as you are, and I personally think all of this is overkill.

 

[SEA333]

Our kids are all adults now and we really don't exercise much control over their food habits at this stage of their lives. And, as their dad, I was the person cooking about 95% of the meals they ate, so I doubt their mother cared a bit more either. In my opinion we've all gone way too far with all of this and we'll only create stronger and more viable germs and bacteria as a result. I'm entitled to my opinion, just as you are, and I personally think all of this is overkill.

Great! Thanks for your opinion.

 

[tink1957]

A manager was checking me out at Kroger not to long ago and the high school kid bagging started to put the meat in with other products. The manager shot him a look and I took it that there was a seperate bagging policy in place. I'm with you on the grossing out part.

My daughter was a cashier at Kroger and people could get fired for putting chicken in with other food, they are taught to bag meat and poultry separately.

I prefer poultry and other meat to be in different bags as chicken has more tendency to leak.

 

[threeboysmom]

I don't think it's "gross" at all or why such a concern. I always have things bagged together (even though the cashier usually asks... I just tell her I don't really care, lol).

Meat is in plastic. My yogurt is not open. Fruits & veggies are all in plastic bags. I don't get the problem.

 

[Disneylover99]

A manager was checking me out at Kroger not to long ago and the high school kid bagging started to put the meat in with other products. The manager shot him a look and I took it that there was a seperate bagging policy in place. I'm with you on the grossing out part.

Sorry. I can't help myself.