Consumer Reports - USA (2020-02)

What’s the best cold medicine?

Drugstore shelves are lined with

over-the-counter medications

meant to ease cold and flu

miseries: fever, headache,

congestion, runny nose, body

aches, cough, and more. But

don’t assume more is better.

Why? Multisymptom

remedies contain several active

ingredients, and the more

active ingredients a remedy

has, the more likely it is you’ll

be exposed to unnecessary side

effects, says Leigh Ann Mike,

Pharm.D., clinical associate

professor of pharmacy at the

University of Washington in

Seattle. And unless you read the

label carefully, you might not

realize what’s in it.

For example, many

multisymptom products

contain acetaminophen, the

active ingredient in Tylenol.

If you take acetaminophen

in addition to a cold remedy

that also contains it, you

could get more than is

safe—4,000 mg per day or

more can lead to liver damage.

CR recommends that you opt

for single-ingredient products

instead. Try acetaminophen or

ibuprofen to subdue body aches

and sore throats, and a separate

medicine for other symptoms,

such as cough or congestion. If

you can’t find the right items

for all your symptoms, use a

combination drug that targets

only the symptoms you have.

Natural remedies can help,

too. Gargle salt water for

a sore throat, take a steamy

shower to ease congestion,

and remember that chicken

soup’s power is not a myth: The

warmth soothes your sinuses.

Why does my flour bag

warn me to “Cook Before

Sneaking a Taste”?

It may seem odd, but people eat

flour raw—in batter or dough—

and get sick from it more often

than you might think. In the past

four years, two food-poisoning

outbreaks have been linked to

flour contaminated with toxic

strains of E. coli bacteria. In

2019, at least six brands of flour

were recalled for potential or

actual bacterial contamination.

Like other crops, wheat is

susceptible to contamination

with E. coli because it may

come into contact with cow

manure on fields. Though

flour is processed—it’s ground,

or “milled,” from wheat and

sometimes bleached—that

doesn’t kill any bacteria that

may be present. Only high

temperatures do that.

“When you eat raw dough

or batter—either homemade or

from a mix—you’re consuming

raw flour and so you risk

consuming harmful bacteria,”

says Sana Mujahid, Ph.D.,

manager of food safety research

and testing at CR. (Products

meant to be eaten raw, such as

cookie-dough ice cream, are

treated to kill bacteria.)

And be careful while using it.

Flour is messy “and can quickly

contaminate kitchen counters,

equipment, or other foods you

have out,” Mujahid says. Treat it

as you would any food that can

be a cross-contaminant: Use

warm, soapy water to wash all

utensils and dishes that come

into contact with it, and use a

damp paper towel to wipe up

excess flour—then throw away

the towel and wash your hands.

What’s the best way to wash

and dry my gym clothes?

Clothing that wicks away sweat

is typically made of synthetic,

nonporous fabrics that don’t

absorb sweat; that’s how it

keeps you dry as you exercise.

“The downside is that while

your sweat evaporates, it leaves

odor behind,” says Rico de Paz,

a CR chemist who tests laundry

detergents. “Synthetic fibers act

like a magnet for odor-causing

chemicals in sweat, making

them difficult to wash out.”

Of the chemicals in sweat,

sebum, or body oil, is very

tough to remove. Just 13 of the

40 laundry detergents in CR’s

tests earn an Excellent score for

removing it. (Try Tide Plus Ultra

Stain Release; All-Access and

Digital members can see our full

ratings at CR.org/wash0220.)

Try to wash synthetics

immediately after a workout—

and turn them inside out so

that detergent can easily get at

the soils. Choose cold water on

a gentle cycle to help prevent

fading and preserve the fit. (Hot

water can damage the fibers

that make them stretchy.) And

don’t put them in with items

made of heavy fabrics, such

as jeans; the friction can wear

down more delicate synthetics.

To clean extra stinky items,

don’t use more detergent than

the directions call for: “Excess

detergent can cause residue to

stay in your clothes and trap

odors,” de Paz says. Instead,

use an extra rinse cycle. And

never use fabric softener; it can

clog the fabric pores, inhibiting

its wicking capabilities. Most

experts also say to air-dry, and

lay clothes flat, to protect the

shape and fit.

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12 CR.ORG FEBRUARY 2020