Halloween Food Safety Tips

Posted by Sonya Procenko

Several friends are taking their children trick-or-treating for the first time. They admit they're nervous about this upcoming Halloween.

What should you think about when taking your children trick-or-treating? There are many excellent Canadian online information resources for parents. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) offers parents simple Food Safety Tips for Halloween including:

* "Children shouldn't snack while they're out trick-or-treating before parents have a chance to inspect the goodies. To help prevent children from munching, give them a snack or light meal before they go--don't send them out on an empty stomach."

* "Tell children not to accept--and, especially, not to eat--anything that isn't commercially wrapped."

* "When children bring their treats home, discard any homemade candy or baked goods. Parents of young children should also remove any choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies or small toys."

* "Wash all fresh fruit thoroughly, inspect it for holes, including small punctures, and cut it open before allowing children to eat it. Remember, when in doubt, throw it out."

* "Inspect commercially wrapped treats for signs of tampering, such as an unusual appearance or discolouration, tiny pinholes, or tears in wrappers. Throw away anything that looks suspicious."

* "Some Halloween treats may trigger allergic reactions in susceptible individuals. For more information, please visit CFIA’s Web site at the following address:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/labeti/allerg/allerge.shtml.

* "Keep an eye out for konjac mini-cup jelly products which have been known to pose a choking hazard in the past as they may become lodged in the throat due to their consistency. While the original mini-cup jellies with konjac (also conjac, konuyaku or glucomannan) should have been removed from the market, it is possible that some may have been brought into the country by travellers from countries where the original product may still be for sale. Other similar products now available in Canada have been reformulated into a softer consistency."

* "If juice or cider is served to children at Halloween parties, make sure it is pasteurized or otherwise treated to destroy harmful bacteria."

For more information about street-proofing for trick-or-treaters, check out this one:
* Health Canada - Have a Safe and Spooky Halloween - http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/securit/season-saison/hal/index-eng.php

Image courtesy of www.freephoto1.com

( Add your comments )

Recent Entries:
· The Pill's 50th Birthday
· Superwoman of the Day: Hungry Girl
· Breast Cancer: Reduce Your Risk

[ READER COMMENTS ]

Halloween Food Safety Tips

Add your comments...

We kindly ask that you keep your comments relevant to this blog entry. Abusive or inappropriate comments or comments that are specifically promotional in nature may be removed.