CANADA: Food safety tips for Halloween

23.oct.08
CFIA

Halloween is a fun time for children. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
would like to remind parents and caregivers of important safety tips so that
Halloween remains a pleasant experience for everyone.
Before trick-or-treating
Children should be reminded not to eat anything while they're out trick-or-treating
before an adult has a chance to inspect the goodies. To help prevent children from
munching, give them a snack or light dinner before they go. Don't send them out on
an empty stomach.
The excitement of Halloween can make children forget some of the safety rules they
have learned. Parents or caregivers should remind them not to accept-and,
especially, not to eat-anything that isn't commercially wrapped.
The goodies
A few tips to keep in mind before children start indulging in the goodies:
* Discard homemade candy or baked goods.
* Remove choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies or small toys when young
children are involved.
* Wash thoroughly fresh fruit, inspect for holes, including small punctures, and
cut, before allowing children to eat it. Remember, when in doubt, throw it out!
* Check commercially wrapped treats for any signs of tampering, such as an unusual
appearance or discolouration, tiny pinholes, or tears in wrappers. Anything that
looks suspicious should be thrown out.
Halloween parties
Juice and cider served to children at Halloween parties should be pasteurized or
otherwise treated to destroy harmful bacteria. For more information, please visit
the CFIA website at:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/specif/juicee.shtml.
Children with allergies and sensitivities
Some Halloween treats may contain ingredients that can cause severe adverse
reactions in individuals who have allergies or sensitivities. These treats often
include ingredients like peanuts, tree nuts, milk and egg-some of the most common
food allergens.
Parents or caregivers should exercise caution by reading labels carefully for all
treats. However, they should bear in mind that Halloween candies do not always have
ingredients listed on their labels. Avoid candies that do not have an ingredient
list!
For more information on allergies, please visit the CFIA website at the following
address: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/labeti/allerg/allerge.shtml.
Konjac mini-cup jelly products
Keep an eye out for konjac mini-cup jelly products which have been known to pose a
choking hazard in the past as they may become lodged in the throat due to their
consistency. While the original mini-cup jellies with konjac (also conjac, konuyaku
or glucomannan) should have been removed from the market, it is possible that some
may have been brought into the country by travellers from countries where the
original product may still be for sale. Other similar products now available in
Canada have been reformulated into a softer consistency.
Melamine
The CFIA would like to remind consumers to check the Report on Testing Results for
Melamine at the following address
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/2008melinfoe.shtml
for up-to-date information on certain imported foods, including candy that could
contain melamine. Melamine is a chemical compound used in a number of commercial and
industrial applications. Canada does not allow the use of melamine as a food
ingredient.
Importers, distributors and retailers of products contaminated with melamine have
been advised to stop distributing and selling them, however, consumers may have
already purchased some of these products. These include candy which may be
unknowingly handed out to children on Halloween.
If you are a parent or caregiver, inspect your child's Halloween treats to determine
if there are any candies that may be affected. If there are, remove and dispose of
these products.
If you are handing out candy, check to see if you have any of the affected products.
If you do, do not distribute or eat them, dispose of them instead.
For more information
For more information on melamine, visit the melamine webpage at
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/2008melamine.shtml.
For more information on food safety, visit the CFIA website at www.inspection.gc.ca
or call 1-800-442-2342/TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern time,
Monday to Friday).
You can also find Halloween safety information on the Health Canada website at
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/life-vie/halloween-eng.php.