Source: AgriLife Today
Now that children are starting back to school and some parents will be packing their lunches, there are some food safety tips everyone should know.
“Food is left at room temperature for more than a few hours can put children at risk for foodborne illness,” said Rebecca Dittmar, specialist in food protection management, Kerrville. “Children typically have a higher risk of foodborne illness as their immune systems are not sufficiently developed to resist the bacteria that can grow on foods.”
To help prevent bacteria and foodborne illness, the USDA and Dittmar offer the following tips:
- Use an insulated lunch box or double paper bags.
- Use cold packs to cool perishable items such as lunch meats, eggs, cheese, milk and yogurt.
- Use a thermos or other insulated container to keep hot lunches at a warm temperature.
- Leave lunches in the refrigerator overnight if packing them the night before.
- Put individually packaged disposable wipes in the lunch box or bag and remind children to use them before and after eating. Also reinforce the importance of hand-washing before meals.
- Discard all used lunch packaging and bags, and clean lunch boxes after use.
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