29.jan.07
KVOA Tucson, AZ
Associated Press
http://www.kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=6001956
TUCSON, Ariz. -- Child-care centers that don't have licensed, commercial-grade kitchens are, according to this story, being cited by state regulators for not sticking to prepackaged foods.
State health inspectors were cited as saying the rules are aimed at reducing the risk of food contamination, but some child-care centers say they're just trying to feed children healthy food.
The story explains that one Tucson center was cited recently for slicing fresh peaches as a snack for preschool students. A center in Vail was cited for serving children mini-bagels with cheese, and little pizzas made with English muffins.
Sharon Taddeo, director of Cottonwood Preschool and Extended Care in Vail, was quoted as saying, "This is the most aggravating thing I've ever had to deal with in 25 years in child care. It's just so nonsensical, and that's what's so frustrating."
The story notes that it began in December 2004, when a Tucson child-care center named Satori contacted the Pima County Health Department for help with a diarrhea outbreak.
Investigators determined the outbreak was caused by a common virus and had nothing to do with food the children had eaten at the center.
But while investigators were at the school, they saw children pulling raw carrots and herbs from an organic vegetable garden and learned that the kids had also helped make muffins from scratch in a lesson about measuring and healthy eating.
Investigators were cited as saying Satori didn't have a commercial-grade refrigerator, dishwasher or stove, and did not have a Pima County Health Department license to prepare and serve food.
The state Health Department cited Satori and fined the center $350 for food violations.
School director Phyllis Gold was quoted as saying, "It was just horrendous. They said it's fine to grow the vegetables, but you can't eat them without a food permit. I understand where they're coming from, but the way it was handled was unbelievable."
Several schools in the state have since been cited, and some parents say they're frustrated.
Maria McCracken, a mother of two preschoolers enrolled at Cottonwood, was quoted as saying, "These children are running around outside, wiping their noses with their hands, touching doorknobs that everyone else touches, going to the bathroom -- who knows if they're washing their hands afterward? There are germs all over the place. That's life."
Kathi Ford, a Pima County Health Department nurse who consults with child-care centers, was cited as saying health officials are meeting with child-care directors to sort through the regulations and come up with new approaches, adding, "We want food preparation to be safer, but we also want kids to have fresh, healthy foods. We are trying to work together to make this the best possible scenario."