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WASHINGTON, Aug. 25 -- With the start of the school season,the National Food Processors Association (NFPA) offers the following tips to help ensure your child consumes a safe and nutritious school lunch.

* Preparation -- When preparing your child's lunch, be sure to use food that has been stored and packed properly. Follow good preparation practices; anyone preparing a lunch should be sure to wash hands often, use clean utensils and cutting boards, and wash preparation surfaces to help reduce therisk of contamination by harmful bacteria. Also, avoid cross contamination; do not use the same utensils for raw meats and other products. In addition, when preparing a lunch at night, be sure to refrigerate items such as tuna, cold cuts, egg salad, and any type of dairy products. Consult food labels tomake sure foods are stored at the proper temperature.

* Consumption at School -- Parents should instruct children to refrigerate lunches at school if necessary. Be sure to seal thermoses properly. Makesure that your children know that foods that have not been stored properlythat smell or taste odd, or that are not sealed correctly should be thrown away. Keep in mind that foods such as peanut butter, box juices, and raisins, are particularly useful for field trips or traveling because refrigeration is not required. Children also should wash their hands before eating their lunch. This will reduce the risk of contamination by harmful bacteria. Finally, remember caution should be used when sharing lunches with other children; allergic reactions to certain food items or ingredients are possible.

* Nutrition -- Lunch time is a great time to provide your child with a nutritious mid-day meal. Providing your child with a variety of foods will lead to a healthy diet, and hopefully keep them interested in eating their lunch. Many fruits and vegetables are easy to package, and help fulfill daily nutritional requirements. The federal government's Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend three to five servings per day from the vegetable group,and two to four daily servings of fruit. One fruit serving consists of one medium apple, banana, orange, or 1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit,or 3/4 cup of fruit juice. A vegetable serving can be measured as one cup of raw leafy vegetable, or 1/2 cup of a cooked or chopped raw vegetable. Additionally, keep in mind that growing children need more nutrients especially iron. Foods rich in iron -- lean meats, and whole grain orenriched bread -- will help them meet these needs.

The National Food Processors Association is the principal scientific trade association representing the $430 billion U.S. food processing industry. Withthree laboratory centers, NFPA is the leading authority on food science and food safety for the food industry. For more information visit NFPA's web site at http://www.nfpa-food.org.

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CONTACT: Tim Willard of the National Food Processors Association,202-637-8060