# Green Bags? Are they legit? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 1, 2008, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-bags-are-they-legit/451326 "2008-06-01T03:21:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-bags-are-they-legit/451326/1 "2008-06-01T03:21:38Z")
I just saw a commercial for [DEBBIE MEYER™ Green Bags®](https://www.greenbags.com/?cid=371829) > [@](#): > > How DEBBIE MEYER™ Green Bags® Work > Fruits, vegetables and flowers release ethylene gas while ripening after harvesting or picking. Ethylene gas accelerates ripening, aging and rotting. DEBBIE MEYER™ Green Bags® absorb and remove this damaging gas, dramatically extending the life of fruits, vegetables and flowers. Is this hype or legitimate science? ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-bags-are-they-legit/451326/2 "2008-06-01T03:27:49Z")
I read many positive reviews before buying my own set of the zip-top bags. From what I’ve used, they seem to work. Strawberries definitely seem to last considerably longer than when stored in their original plastic container. From what I remember, they work on a legitimate scientific principal (the bags’ material is something that can be looked up on Wikipedia but I don’t recall the name at the moment). ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-bags-are-they-legit/451326/3 "2008-06-01T04:26:30Z")
Are they only available as a “TV Only” offer or can they be bought in stores now? I am always extremely skeptical of anything sold on the idiot box. ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-bags-are-they-legit/451326/4 "2008-06-01T05:00:52Z")
If you Google them you can find better deals. ---
**Author:** ![Zulema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/db5fbb/32.png) [@Zulema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zulema)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-bags-are-they-legit/451326/5 "2008-06-01T05:06:43Z")
My local grocery store has had them for at least 4 or 5 years, they’re hanging up in the produce section on one of those spinning racks. They work great. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-bags-are-they-legit/451326/6 "2008-06-01T05:15:43Z")
[QUOTE=SP2263] My local grocery store has had them for at least 4 or 5 years, they’re hanging up in the produce section on one of those spinning racks. They work great. [/QUOTE] **SP2263** , if you increase my cost ratio on strawberries for nothing, I’m coming for you. 😃 Seriously, I plan on buying some, especially since we’re a berry-loving family and berries are expensive and so perishable. I just need to locate them at my local Kroger, I must gloss over them when shopping. Are they washable/reusable? ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-bags-are-they-legit/451326/7 "2008-06-01T05:33:55Z")
My first thought at the beginning of the commercial was that it had something to do with [ethylene](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethylene#Ethylene_as_a_plant_hormone), and sure enough the ad mentioned something about the bags having a mineral embedded in them that absorbed it. IANAB(otanist), but I thought ethylene was largely responsible for ripening and whatnot. I can see removing it from fruit’s immediate surroundings as beneficial to prevent over-ripening, but I don’t understand/know how it could prevent mould from growing (as they show in the commercials). How efficient are the bags at removing the gas? Are there other factors besides ethylene-removal involved that affect the process? If it’s as effective as it claims, why isn’t the base product (gas-absorbing miracle mineral) sold in other forms? Refrigerators with changeable crisper-draw filters, fruit packaging or storage materials with huge surface to air ratios to maximize the absorption, etc. Even if there is a patent, I’d imagine the market for licensing the technology would be enormous. Not doubting anecdotal claims, just spouting what makes me dubious. ---
**Author:** ![Zulema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/db5fbb/32.png) [@Zulema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zulema)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-bags-are-they-legit/451326/8 "2008-06-01T05:51:50Z")
[QUOTE=Rhythmdvl] If it’s as effective as it claims, why isn’t the base product (gas-absorbing miracle mineral) sold in other forms? Refrigerators with changeable crisper-draw filters, fruit packaging or storage materials with huge surface to air ratios to maximize the absorption, etc. Even if there is a patent, I’d imagine the market for licensing the technology would be enormous. Not doubting anecdotal claims, just spouting what makes me dubious. [/QUOTE] It has been available in mail order catalogs for a long time. I have seen crisper drawer liners and green disks and it seems maybe even plastic bowls. Our local, very excellent, grocery store has a very thin plastic version of them as all their produce bags on the roll. I read about the mineral they use over 10 years ago, it’s found in some cave in Japan if I remember correctly. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-bags-are-they-legit/451326/9 "2008-06-01T05:54:37Z")
The Wikipedia page also has some information about various news outlets testing it: [Debbie Meyer Green Bags - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debbie_Meyer_Green_Bags) Apparently the bags are made out of a zeolite material. An important thing to remember is that the inside of the bag must be kept dry at all times. Failing to do this can actually make whatever is inside the bags to rot quicker. The instructions state this and to combat it you can keep a paper towel or two inside the bag and replace it if it gets wet. The bags are also washable and reusable. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-bags-are-they-legit/451326/10 "2008-06-01T06:35:39Z")
[QUOTE=FoieGrasIsEvil] I am always extremely skeptical of anything sold on the idiot box. [/QUOTE] Anything? ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-bags-are-they-legit/451326/11 "2008-06-01T13:35:00Z")
[QUOTE=Duckster] Anything? [/QUOTE] Just about. OK, anything that’s $19.99 from Ronco. ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-bags-are-they-legit/451326/12 "2008-06-01T13:45:15Z")
I get some preety long life from my strawberries by washing them, trimming them, drying them lightly with apaper towel, and placing them cut side down (not touching each other) in a thick stoneware dish that I cover with plastic wrap. It’s not really so time consuming to prep them, and they seem to last several days when done this way. If I leave them in the package until I want them, they tend to shrivel and have soft spots on their sides. I also cut up a canteloupe and wash and dry some blueberries. Then I use all three to make up a fuit salad that I take to work every day. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-bags-are-they-legit/451326/13 "2008-06-01T13:46:35Z")
My sister gets hers at Wally-World. They are reusable, but not infinitely. At some point, they lose their capacity to get rid of the ethylene gas. You also are not supposed to mix types of produce in a single bag – e.g., don’t put peppers in the same bag with lettuce. (All berries would probably be OK.) ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-bags-are-they-legit/451326/14 "2008-06-01T13:54:42Z")
I love mine. And I was equally skeptical as I bought them off the tv. But they do work. I felt so silly buying 35 bags that I spread them liberally around to my friends, who also adore them now. They work great. Asparagus keeps for weeks, fresh like I just bought it. Spices keep for up to a month, still lovely and fresh. Lettuce is the best, never wilty always crisp. I hated the waste of food going off before we would eat it. I love fresh vegetables but with just the two of us they often went off before being fully consumed. Not now, now it all gets eaten and there is way, way less waste. Which pleases me enormously. I felt very silly at the time but it has turned out to be a very wise purchase indeed. ---
**Author:** ![1010011010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea666f/32.png) [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-bags-are-they-legit/451326/15 "2008-06-01T13:57:49Z")
You could also _not_ put the fruit in a closed unventilated container and the acetylene won’t be able to build up. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-bags-are-they-legit/451326/16 "2008-06-01T14:05:53Z")
[QUOTE=FoieGrasIsEvil] Are they only available as a “TV Only” offer or can they be bought in stores now? I am always extremely skeptical of anything sold on the idiot box. [/QUOTE] I’ve noticed that the really good “As Seen on TV” products do tend to show up in regular stores after a little while. (For example, the most excellent[Ped-Egg](http://www.pedegg.com/creamindex.html?directLoad&uid=704ABE5104E1F56C0149936F8051ABEE) is now in normal drugstores) From what I’ve heard, the technology of the Green Bags is legit, but in their current form, they seem like I’d find them more of a pain to use than they are worth. I’m simply not going to store and wash and reuse and keep track of how many times I’ve reused a plastic bag. Most of my produce gets eaten before it goes bad anyway. [QUOTE=Rhythmdvl] If it’s as effective as it claims, why isn’t the base product (gas-absorbing miracle mineral) sold in other forms? Refrigerators with changeable crisper-draw filters, fruit packaging or storage materials with huge surface to air ratios to maximize the absorption, etc. Even if there is a patent, I’d imagine the market for licensing the technology would be enormous. Not doubting anecdotal claims, just spouting what makes me dubious. [/QUOTE] As others have mentioned, there are other products that use this technology out there, but not too many that seem to be sufficiently user-friendly and/or inexpensive enough to appeal to a wide audience. I’d like to see someone make some sort of single-use insert or strip that you could throw into any plastic bag or sealed bowl. ---
**Author:** ![Kuizelemartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e19b73/32.png) [@Kuizelemartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kuizelemartz)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-bags-are-they-legit/451326/17 "2008-06-01T14:32:01Z")
I caved and bought the bags from the commercial. I absolutely love them. I’m single and have a hard time eating a whole loaf of bread before it goes bad. Using these bags, I can take my time and eat the expensive bread and not toss half of it away. I travel for my job and have overnight stays. Now I don’t have to plan my produce around when and how long I’ll be gone. I’ve done the banana experiment even though I’m allergic. And they do keep bananas fresh about 3x longer. Works on fruit and vegetables. I don’t eat/buy cheese, so I can’t vouch for that. ---
**Author:** ![Juliette\_Culture\_Junkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5fc32e/32.png) [@Juliette\_Culture\_Junkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Juliette_Culture_Junkie)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-bags-are-they-legit/451326/18 "2008-06-01T16:25:31Z")
Anyone know, or guess, how many times they can be reused before they stop working? ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-bags-are-they-legit/451326/19 "2008-06-01T16:37:01Z")
I’ve had mine for over a year and take no special care, do not track how many times I’ve used them, and they are all still working just fine. Not terribly scientific, I know, but there it is. ---
**Author:** ![Juliette\_Culture\_Junkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5fc32e/32.png) [@Juliette\_Culture\_Junkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Juliette_Culture_Junkie)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-bags-are-they-legit/451326/20 "2008-06-01T16:42:00Z")
Thanks, **elbows** , I’m sold! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-bags-are-they-legit/451326.md?page=2)