You can help reduce the chances of your children falling ill with food poisoning by taking care over food preparation.

 

The information given below and elsewhere on the Council's web-site will help reduce the chances of something going wrong.

 

Personal hygiene: thoroughly wash and dry your hands before handling food. Cover any wounds with a waterproof plaster.

 

Surfaces: clean and disinfect work surfaces and equipment.

Temperature control: keep food cold - warm temperatures encourage bacteria to grow

 

Date marking: Check "use-by" and "best before" dates on food packaging. Do not use food with an out of date "use-by" date.

 

Salad items: wash all salad items under cold running water.

 

Food storage: keep raw and cooked foods separate in covered containers.

 

Food preparation: clean and disinfect food preparation equipment before and after use. Where possible use separate equipment for raw and cooked foods.

 

Sandwiches: provide an ice pack in the lunch box. Sandwiches should be made fresh each morning, However, if made the night before store the sandwiches in the fridge, the ice pack(s) in a freezer and put the ice packs in the lunch box in the morning. Alternatively use fillings such as jam or marmite which do not require refrigerating. Chilling other foods will help keep sandwiches cold. 

 

Fruit juices: cartons of fruit juice may be frozen and stored with sandwiches to help keep them cold. 

 

Before eating packed lunches always wash your hands especially if eating them in the country side, at the beach, after handling animals or on farm trips. You are advised to carry anti bacterial/disinfectant wipes in case there are no dedicated hand wash facilities available.