Packed lunches often too warm to be safe: report

Parents who pack lunches for their children thinking it’s healthier than cafeteria food could be in for a surprise: in fact, these lunches often reach unsafe temperatures before they’re eaten. Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin tested more than 700 preschoolers’ lunch packs and found that less than two per cent of meats, vegetables and dairy products they contained were in what’s considered a safe temperature zone, Reuters reports. As a result, bacteria that cause food poisoning could multiply. They suggest packing lunch with lots of ice packs, and storing it in the fridge.

Reuters