October 29, 2002 - Following simple food and candy safety rules will help ensure that this Halloween and "trick or treating" is safe and happy, says Dan Wyant, director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA).

Some safety rules for Halloween treats are:

• Children shouldn’t open goodies before parents check all items.
• Children should not accept or eat treats that are not commercially wrapped. When kids bring treats home, parents should discard homemade candies or baked foods.
• Parents should wash all fresh fruit thoroughly and inspect it for holes, including small punctures. Fruit should be cut open before allowing kids to eat it.
• Parents should examine commercially wrapped treats for signs of tampering including pinholes in wrappers or torn wrappers. Keep an eye out for treats with a discolored or unusual appearance. Discard anything that looks suspicious.
• If cider or juice is served to children at a Halloween party, be sure that it is pasteurized or treated to destroy potential bacteria. Cider or juice that is not pasteurized will be marked as such.
• As always, proper hand washing is key to food safety. Remind kids to wash their hands before eating.

Additional food safety tips can be obtained by contacting local Michigan State University Extension offices, visiting www.michigan.gov/mda, www.fightbac.org or www.foodsafety.gov, or by calling toll-free the U.S. Department of Agriculture Meat and Poultry Hotline toll-free at 800/535-4555 or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Food Information Line at 888/SAFE-FOOD.