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Childhood obesity is near the top on everyone's list of pediatric health concerns. According to a report published by the "International Journal of Pediatric Obesity," by the end of this decade nearly half the children in North and South America will be overweight.

Predictions like this, as well as other health concerns, have prompted parents and educators to look for ways to improve the nutritional quality of school lunches and snacks. One way to do this is to substitute fruits and vegetables for foods that have a high sugar and/or fat content. However, unless they're handled safely, fruits and vegetables can be a source of the bacteria that cause food-borne illness. To prevent this, here are some tips, courtesy of Nancy Bock, vice president of education at the Soap and Detergent Association.

SHOP WISELY

Avoid purchasing fruits and vegetables that are bruised or damaged.

Be sure fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, such as packaged salads and precut melons, are refrigerated at the store before buying. Do not buy them if they aren't refrigerated.

Keep fresh fruits and vegetables separate from household chemicals and raw foods such as meat, poultry and seafood, in the grocery cart and in the bags at checkout.

HANDLE SAFELY

In general, always make sure that your hands, food preparation and eating surfaces, and utensils are clean.

Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling fresh fruits and vegetables.

Clean all surfaces and utensils with hot water and soap, including cutting boards, counter tops, peelers, and knives that will touch fresh fruits or vegetables before and after food preparation.

Use disinfectant products to clean your surfaces to help get rid of bacteria.

Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water, including those with skins and rinds that are not eaten. Packaged fruits and vegetables labeled "ready-to-eat," "washed," or "triple washed" need not be washed.

Rub firm-skin fruits and vegetables under running tap water or scrub with a clean vegetable brush while rinsing with running tap water.

Dry fruits and vegetables with a clean cloth towel or paper towel.

Never use detergent or bleach to wash fresh fruits or vegetables. These products are not intended for consumption.

Cook or throw away fruits or vegetables that have touched raw meat, poultry, seafood or their juices.

Unpeeled fruits, such as apples, oranges and bananas, can be packed "as is." Mother Nature provides the necessary wrapping! Peeled and/or cut-up fruits and vegetables should be kept chilled. Insulated wide-mouthed snack jars and food jars adorned with kid-friendly graphics are a cheerful addition to the lunch box. Small plastic containers or self-sealing sandwich bags are another option. Pack in an insulated lunch container or, if using a brown bag, double bag it and add a cold source.

The lunches many children take to school may be the cause of stomach cramps, diarrhea, or even vomiting. Illness might be blamed on a flu bug when it might actually be caused by a "food bug."

Packing a lunch that can be stored at room temperature and eaten hours later takes extra care. Bacteria that cause food-borne illness grow best at room temperature. In fact, at 40 to 140 degrees F. enough bacteria can grow in two hours to make a person sick.

Some foods should be kept either cold (40 degrees F or below) or hot (at or above 140 degrees F). These are perishable foods such as meats, poultry, seafood, eggs and dairy products (including yogurt). The key to packing a safe lunch is to keep cold foods cold, hot foods hot and everything clean.

To keep foods hot for several hours, use a thermos designed for hot food. Bring the food to as high a temperature as possible before pouring it into the thermos. The food should still be hot to touch when eaten. After each use, wash the thermos well and rinse the inside with boiling water.

While preparing lunches, keep everything clean to avoid spreading bacteria. Be sure utensils, hands and work areas are clean. Wash food containers, including the thermos and the lunch box itself, after each use. Wrap foods in clean wrap. If you use brown paper bags, buy bags made for that purpose. Grocery bags may be contaminated from insects or food leakage. Some lunch foods don't need to be kept hot or cold to be safe. These foods include:

Peanut butter

Dry meats such as beef jerky

Some nonperishable cheeses and cheese spreads

Canned meat, poultry and seafood products (if eaten immediately after opening)

Dried fruits

Breads, cereals and nuts

Packaged, ready-to-eat foods in individual servings, such as canned fruits and puddings, make a nice addition to a school lunch.

REMEMBER:

Food that doesn't look, smell or taste bad might still be contaminated with enough bacteria to make your sick.

To pack a safe lunch, follow these guidelines:

Keep everything clean when preparing and packing lunches.

Plan a balanced menu of healthy foods that have been properly cooked. Don't use leftovers that have been in the refrigerator for a while.

Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Don't allow these foods to remain at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Don't re-use perishable lunch leftovers. Throw them away.

Shelia Lewis is a Smith County Extension agent in family and consumer sciences. She can be reached at sk-lewis@tamu.edu. This column on family and consumer education news appears in the Thursday Community section of the Tyler Morning Telegraph.