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Tag: Halloween

Scare Bacteria with Franken-BAC!

Franken-BAC
Franken-BAC
Source: Fightbac.org

Franken-BAC wants you to have a safe Halloween bash! Keep these tips in mind to keep your ghouls and goblins food safe.

  • Scare BAC! (foodborne bacteria) away by keeping all perishable foods chilled until serving time. These include, for example, finger sandwiches, cheese platters, cut fruit or tossed salads, cold pasta dishes with meat, poultry, or seafood, and cream pies or cakes with whipped-cream and cream-cheese frostings. Cold temperatures help keep most frightful bacteria from multiplying.
  • To keep party trays cold, fill lids with ice and place trays on top.  Place bowls of salads cold by nesting them in larger bowls of ice.
  • Arrange food on several small platters. Refrigerate platters of food until it is time to serve, and rotate food platters within two hours.
  • Don’t leave perishable goodies out for more than two hours at room temperature (1 hour in temperatures above 90°F).
  • When whipping up Halloween treats, don’t taste dough and batters that contain uncooked eggs or raw flour.
  • Beware of spooky cider!  Unpasteurized juice or cider can contain harmful bacteria such as E.coliO157:H7 and Salmonella. Serve pasteurized products at your Halloween party.
  • Remind kids (and adults too!) to wash their hands before and after chowing down to help prevent foodborne illness.

 

Halloween and COVID-19

Have a family friendly Halloween to keep everyone safe!

Do you get lots of trick-or-treaters for Halloween? This year might be a little different. Is it safe for kids to take candy from strangers during a pandemic?

First and foremost, follow your community guidelines. Know the keys to keep healthy, avoid crowds, wash your hands, wear a face covering.  The look of face coverings may be quite creative this Halloween! Even if you are outside, you may still be around a lot of other goblins, so wear those masks. Small groups are better than large groups.

Designate one person to hand out treats that are individually wrapped. Don’t let the goblins dig into the bowl. Have hand sanitizer available for anyone to use.

Host a trunk-or-treat event and put extra space between cars to thin out the crowd. A Halloween drive-by parade in the neighborhood could be a spooky treat!

There is no need to wipe down the treat packaging. After trick-or-treating, wash your hands before snacking on those treats.

Above all, have fun and be safe!