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These are the cleanest grocery stores in America, survey shows

Nothing will make you drop your cart and run out of a grocery store quite like sticky floors, dingy aisles, and crumbs. Cleanliness is so important that it’s consistently one of the top-rated features (along with bright lights, product selection, and value) that makes us return to a store again and again. So which grocery stores can claim to be the cleanest of them all? Nonprofit consumer group, Consumer Reports’ recently released the findings of a nationwide member survey of grocery stores, supermarkets, and warehouse clubs. More than 75,000 people across 96 stores responded. Criteria included cleanliness of sidewalks and entryways, the number of working hand sanitizer stations and cart wipes available, how quickly spills were wiped up, how often floors were cleaned in general, and the cleanliness of restrooms. Cleanest Grocery Stores The top-ranking grocers include Texas-based regional chain Central Market; the mid-Atlantic’s Wegmans; the Chicago and Ohio area…

Consumer Reports finds alarming levels of heavy metals in kids’ fruit juice

A new study will be hard to swallow for some well-meaning parents. A recent study by Consumer Reports found concerning levels of potentially dangerous metals in many kids’ fruit juices. Arsenic, cadmium, and lead were found in beloved brands including Whole Food’s 365 Everyday Value, Juicy Juice, Honest Kids, Minute Maid, Welch’s, and more. Also see: Learn to make your own juice at home. The watchdog group tested 45 fruit juices sold nationwide, including grape, apple, pear, and fruit blends. More than half of the juices tests for those three heavy metals. Overall, heavy metals in fruit juices have gone down since a similar CR test in 2011, but  Consumer Report’s Chief Scientific Officer James Dickerson, Ph.D. warns we shouldn’t be comfortable with that alone. “People should still be concerned that test heavy metals are still being found in juice products… and take action so they can ensure that they…

Stay away from Romaine Lettuce, report warns

Skip out that Caesar salad for a while. An E. coli outbreak that hit the United States late last week has been traced to romaine lettuce grown in certain regions of the country. The outbreak has affected 11 states so far, with a total of 35 cases reported, resulting in twenty-two hospitalizations. Luckily, no deaths have been reported. On April 13, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a statement advising consumers to find out the origin of their romaine before buying or eating. The lettuce causing concern was linked to Yuma, Arizona. The CDC reports that only lettuce from this region needs to be avoided or thrown away. However, just to be safe, Consumer Reports advises considers to avoid buying romaine altogether — at least until the outbreak is over. “Consumer Reports’ experts believe that it could be difficult for consumers to determine where the romaine they purchase is…