Neighborhood streets will be filled with little trick-or-treaters Halloween night, but the goodies that fill your children’s bags shouldn’t always go into their mouths.
“Parents should remind their children not to eat anything before an adult has a chance to inspect the treats,” advises Gary Erbeck, the Director of the County Department of Environmental Health.
Parents can help prevent kids from munching on candy by giving them a snack or dinner before they head out the door.
Other tips to help make sure treats are safe:
- Tell children not to accept, and especially not to eat, anything that isn’t commercially wrapped.
- Throw away any homemade candy or baked goods.
- Parents with young children should get rid of any choking hazards, such as gum, peanuts, hard candies and small toys.
- Inspect store-bought treats for signs of tampering, such as unusual appearance, small hole or tears in wrappers. Throw away anything that looks suspicious.
- Make sure juice or cider served at Halloween parties is pasteurized. Refreshments that have not been pasteurized will say so on the label.
For more information about food safety, visit the County Department of Environmental Health.