Debbie Meyer Green Bags

The Debbie Meyer Green Bag is a storage product sold by Housewares America, Inc. Television commercials for the product claim it will keep fruits and vegetables fresh for up to 30 days by absorbing ethylene gas, which they claim to be the major cause of fruits and vegetables going bad.^[1] A commercial for the product shows specific examples of different fruits and vegetables comparing them between being stored in the bag, and without.^[2] The product's website claims that "Oya mineral form of Zeolite" is the ingredient that facilitates the gas absorption.^[1]

Effectiveness

Several television news programs have done consumer affairs segments on the product. KDKA-TV Channel 2 News in Pittsburgh featured Debbie Meyer Green Bags in its recurring "Does It Really Do That?" segment and came up with mixed results.^[3] KDKA reported that "strawberries, bananas and tomatoes" spoiled in both green bags and standard storage. While the Green Bags did keep carrots and green peppers "much fresher much longer", grapes and bananas did better without the bags. The viewer assisting the reporter with test said she would not buy the bags for regular use.

WPVI-TV in Philadelphia also reported on the bags. The station had a viewer keep a log for thirty days. ^[4] They tested Debbie Meyers Green Bags against Ziploc Storage Bags, Ziploc Storage Containers, and the food items' original packaging. While a few items did better in the Green Bags, the tester felt "Green Bags and Ziploc bags and Ziploc storage containers maintained the freshness of the produce about the same." The station tried to contact the company that sells the Debbie Meyer Green Bags about the results, but their requests for comments were not returned.^[5]

KFVS-TV Channel 12 News did a story about the Green Bags, with mostly negative results^[6] KFVS was able to contact an operator at the company who said they had received complaints and praise about the performance of Green Bags. According to the report, the operator also claimed the bags work better on freshly picked produce.

At least one station, KTVI-TV in St. Louis, has given Green Bags a positive review. They tested the bags for their Deal or Dud segment and found the bags kept both fruits and vegetables fresher. They called the bags “a Deal”.^[7]

Consumers Union (publishers of Consumer Reports magazine) evaluated the product in July of 2008 and could not identify significant benefits over other produce storage methods alone. It does work on some fruits and vegetables like peaches and carrots. See the article not http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/food/news/2008/07/debbie-meyer-green-bags/overview/storing-fruit-ov.htm

In the UK, the bags go under the "Chef Exellence" name.

Sources Cited

1. ^ ^{a b} Debbie Meyer Green Bag Website accessed January 4, 2008
2. ^ Green Bags Commercial as viewed on the Green Bags homepage, accessed on January 4, 2008
3. ^ "Does It Really Do That?" portion of the KDKA Newscast on November 1, 2007, accessed on January 4, 2008
4. ^ "Colleen's log" posted on WPVI Website February 19, 2008, accessed on February 25, 2008
5. ^ "Product Test: Mighty Putty, Green Bags" posted on WPVI Website February 20, 2008, accessed on February 25, 2008
6. ^ "Debbie Meyer Green Bags: Does it Work?" shown on October 31, 2007, accessed on January 4, 2008
7. ^ "Deal or Dud - Green Bags" posted on Wednesday, 21 Nov 2007, accessed on February 26, 2008