FOOD SAFETY TIPS
Even though it’s not an official holiday, Halloween is much beloved
by children and adults alike. What could be more fun than
trick-or-treating, apple bobbing, or costume parties?
To make sure treats are safe for children, follow these simple steps:
Snacking:
Children shouldn’t snack while they’re out trick-or-treating. Give them
a light meal or snack before they head out – don’t send them out on an
empty stomach. Urge them to wait until they get home and let you inspect
the contents of their “goody bags.”
Safe treats:
Tell children not to accept – and especially not to eat – anything that
isn’t commercially wrapped. Inspect commercially wrapped treats for
signs of tampering, such as an unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny
pinholes, or tears in wrappers. Throw away anything that looks
suspicious.
Choking hazards: If you have very young children, be sure to remove any choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies, or small toys.
Bobbing for apples is an all-time favorite Halloween game. Here are a couple of ways to say “boo” to bacteria that can cause foodborne illness.
Reduce
the number of bacteria that might be present on apples and other raw
fruits and vegetables by thoroughly rinsing them under cool
running water. As an added precaution, use a produce brush to remove surface dirt.
- Try this new spin on apple bobbing from FightBAC.org:
Cut out lots of apples from red construction paper. On each apple,
write activities for kids, such as “do 5 jumping jacks.” Place a paper
clip on each apple and put them in a large basket. Tie a magnet to a
string. Let the children take turns “bobbing” with their magnet and
doing the activity written on their apple. Give children a fresh apple
for participating.
If your idea of Halloween fun is a
party at home, don’t forget these tips:
- Beware of spooky cider! Unpasteurized juice or cider can contain harmful bacteria such as Salmonella. To stay safe, always serve pasteurized products at your parties.
- No matter how tempting, don't taste raw cookie dough or cake batter that contain uncooked eggs.
- “Scare"
bacteria away by keeping all perishable foods chilled until serving
time. These include finger sandwiches, cheese platters, fruit or tossed
salads, cold pasta dishes with meat, poultry, or seafood, and cream pies
or cakes with whipped-cream and cream-cheese frostings.
- Bacteria
will creep up on you if you let foods sit out too long. Don’t leave
perishable goodies out of the fridge for more than two hours (1 hour in
temperatures above 90°F).
References: FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
