Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
10/15/98
Contacts: Pat Redlinger, Extension Food Science, (515)
294-1381
Diane Nelson, Extension Communication Systems, (515)
294-3178
KIDS AND FOOD SAFETY
AMES, Iowa--Safety and kids isn't just about wearing seat belts and bike helmets; it also includes teaching your kids to prepare and eat safely. How safe are these two kids?
On the bus ride home, Sally decides to finish her ham sandwich from lunch.
At home, Bobby tosses his bag on the kitchen table and goes to the cupboard. Coming back with a loaf of bread and peanut butter, he pushes aside his bookbag and starts to make a sandwich.
So what's wrong with Sally eating her ham sandwich and Bobby tossing his bag on the kitchen table? "Sally just violated the two--hour rule and when Bobby set his bookbag on the kitchen table, thousands of germs were transferred to the table," says Pat Redlinger, Iowa State University Extension food science specialist.
An estimated 2 million people suffer from foodborne illnesses each year. The most commonly reported causes were improper holding temperatures, poor personal hygiene, inadequate cooking, contaminated equipment and unsafe food sources.
"Food safety is especially important for children fixing snacks," says Redlinger. "Bookbags belong on a chair or the floor, not the kitchen table. Reminding children to make their sandwiches on a clean plate or paper towel also can prevent germs from being transferred."
One basic food safety rule to teach is: Don't eat leftover meat sandwiches after school.
When products sit out at room temperature for more than two hours, bacteria starts to grow at a rapid pace. This includes milk products, egg-based products, meat, poultry and fish.
Another basic food safety rule is: Wash your hands.
"Hands become the most potentially dangerous serving equipment when innocent acts like scratching the scalp, running fingers through the hair or touching a pimple become the cause for transmission of microorganisms to food," says Redlinger.
Other potential problems are not washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating, and forgetting to put cold items back in the refrigerator.
"Teaching your children a few simple steps of food safety is an important life skill," says Redlinger.
For more information about food safety, visit the ISU Extension Food Safety website at URL: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Pages/families/fs/ or contact your county extension office.
ajm
ml: imajor
Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability.