By Stephanie Streight, BS, LEHP, Environmental Health Coordinator, Peoria City/County Health Department
Retailers have begun swapping out beach towels and sidewalk chalk, for bookbags and crayons, a sure sign that summer break is ending, and a new school year is swiftly approaching. Over the next few weeks, parents and children will begin hunting for reasonably priced supplies, negotiating sleep schedules, and debating the necessity of owning the latest trending shoe brand. One thing that shouldn’t be up for negotiation or debate, is food safety.
According to the Centers for Disease Control Estimates of Foodborne Illness in the United States | Estimates of Foodborne Illness | CDC, “children under fifteen comprise nearly half of all hospitalizations for foodborne illness in the United States each year (48 million).” Children are at a greater risk for developing foodborne illness because their immune systems are still developing. Once afflicted with a foodborne or waterborne disease, the likelihood of a lengthier illness, the risk of hospitalization, and the risk of death increases in direct correlation to how young the child is. Although these statistics are scary, foodborne illness is preventable. By adding a few extra supplies to your back-to-school list and taking a few extra steps when preparing and packing a lunch for your child, the risk of foodborne illness can be greatly reduced.
Prep Safe:
- The #1 way to prevent foodborne illness is by washing your hands! Wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least twenty seconds, prior to preparing foods (and don’t forget to use a barrier when turning off the faucet handle).
- Always have someone else prepare your child’s lunch if you are sick with vomiting, diarrhea, and/or fever. These are common signs of foodborne illness.
- Prepare foods on a clean and sanitized surface—wash, rinse, and sanitize all food-contact surfaces (countertops, cutting boards, utensils) before and after preparing foods. Sanitize food-contact surfaces by creating a mixture of approximately 1 tablespoon of liquid, chlorine bleach per one gallon of warm water. Allow sanitized surfaces to air dry.
- To prevent cross-contamination, always use a clean cutting board.
- Store foods in an insulated, soft-sided lunchbox—they are easy to wash, rinse, and sanitize daily.
- If you prepare lunch the night before, keep it cool in the fridge overnight.
- Before heading to the bus stop or drop off line –
o Use reusable ice packs to keep cold, perishable foods below 41 degrees F out of the temperature danger zone (41 degrees F – 135 degrees F), where bacteria thrive.
o Use vacuum-insulated food containers to keep hot, perishable foods above 135 degrees F and out of the temperature danger zone (41 – 135 degrees F), where bacteria thrive.
- If temperatures are very high, consider packing non-perishable foods, such as peanut butter/sunbutter and jelly sandwiches, fresh fruit and vegetables, pretzels, or granola bars that are less likely to spoil and do not support the exponential growth of bacteria.
Eat Safe:
- Keep lunchboxes in a cool, dark location and out of direct sunlight until it is time to eat (or utilize a refrigerator, if available).
- Pack disposable wipes for washing hands before and after eating (if a handwashing sink with warm water and soap is not available).
- Encourage your child to only eat foods that you know were safely prepared in your home or the school kitchen; discourage food trading in the lunchroom (not everyone makes food safety a priority).
Clean-Up Safe:
- Discard all leftover foods that need refrigeration. Time/temperature controlled for safety foods that have been held in the temperature danger zone (without refrigeration) for more than 4-6 hours, are generally no longer safe to consume.
- Discard disposable packaging (such as paper or plastic baggies). Disposable paper or plastic baggies are not easily cleaned and sanitized and can harbor pathogens.
Now that you know how to make safer lunches, will you be earning an A+ in food safety this school year?
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