As the school year begins, federal officials are urging families to add food safety to their back-to-school checklist to help protect children from foodborne illnesses.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said young children, especially those under age 5, are at higher risk of becoming seriously sick from contaminated food.
“As the school year begins, we want families to keep food safety top of mind,” said USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service Administrator Dr. Justin Ransom. “Young children are more vulnerable to foodborne illness, and we want to make sure they stay healthy and ready to learn.”
USDA recommends using insulated lunchboxes and at least two cold sources, such as gel packs or frozen water bottles, to keep perishable items like meat and eggs cold. For hot foods such as soup or chili, an insulated container should be preheated with boiling water before food is added and kept sealed until lunchtime.
The agency also encourages parents and caregivers to follow the four basic steps of food safety:
- Clean: Wash hands for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food and sanitize lunchboxes regularly.
- Separate: Keep raw meat and poultry away from fruits, vegetables and ready-to-eat foods.
- Cook: Use a food thermometer to confirm foods reach safe internal temperatures.
- Chill: Keep perishable foods below 40 degrees Fahrenheit and discard items left at unsafe temperatures for more than two hours.
For more information, USDA provides the Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854 and can be reached by email at MPHotline@usda.gov.
