Halloween Food Safety How-To

The Partnership for Food Safety Education would like to remind you to Fight BAC (Foodborne Bacteria) during your Halloween festivities.

BAC will creep up on you if you let foods sit out for too long. Don’t leave perishable goodies out for more than two hours at room temperature (1 hour in temperatures above 90°F).

Beware of spooky cider! Unpasteurized juice or cider can contain harmful bacteria such as E.coli 0157:H7 and Salmonella. Serve pasteurized products at your Halloween party.

Scare BAC! Away by keeping all perishable foods chilled until serving time. Cold temperatures help keep most frightful bacteria from multiplying. To keep store-brought party trays cold, fill lids with ice and place trays on top. Similarly, keep salads and other perishable items in bowls cold by nesting them in larger bowls of ice.

When whipping up Halloween treats, don’t taste dough and batters that contain uncooked eggs.

Try a new spin on bobbing of apples. Cut out lots of apples from red construction paper. Write activities for kids to do on each apple, such as “say ABCs” or “do 5 jumping jacks”. Place a paper clip on each apple and put them in a large basket. Tie a magnet to a string or create a fishing pole with a dowel rod, magnet and yarn. Let the children take turn “bobbing” with their magnet and doing the activity written on their apple. Give children a fresh apple for participating in your food-safe version of bobbing for apples.

for more information visit: www.fightbac.org!