Schools and early childhood education programs have a responsibility to provide an environment that protects children who have food allergies, according to an article on the Food Allergies Research and Education (FARE) website. State and local health regulations provide requirements for cleaning surfaces that can protect against the unintentional transfer of residue or trace amount of an allergic food.

Some practices to reduce cross-contamination include:

• Cleaning all surfaces that come into contact with food with soap and water or all-purpose cleaning agents and sanitizers that meet state and local food safety regulations

• Cleaning and sanitizing food preparation equipment, such as food slicers, and utensils before and after use

• Encourage proper handwashing with soap and water as plain water and sanitizers are not effective in removing allergens

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