CBC Marketplace went to 24 different grocery stores to test different areas to see what is the germiest surface in the supermarket? They tested all the high-touch surfaces: door handles, shopping cart handles, front of shopping carts, baby seats, freezer door handles and PIN pads.
Over 130 samples were taken at the countries largest chains: Walmart, Costco, Sobeys and Freshco, Loblaws, No Frills, Metro and Food Basics. Microbiological laboratory tested all the samples. The tests were for a total number of bacteria on each of the surfaces, as well as for E. coli.
The surface that came back with the most amount of bacteria was the check out PIN pad. Cashiers have not been cleaning the PIN pad after each customer. The basket handle came in second infected with bacteria, third was a tie with the freezer door handles and the front of the shopping cart.
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