ORLANDO, Fla. – Researchers have found that packing a lunch may not be as safe or healthy as people think because many lunch boxes are breeding ground for bacteria.
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin tested 700 preschool box lunches and found that 98 percent of the time, the food was not as cold or hot as it should be for safe eating.
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Experts said to avoid a "thermal danger zone" and getting sick, people who pack their own lunches should freeze beverages like milk, water and juice boxes the night before and use more than one ice pack in insulated lunch boxes.
Experts also said that people should ask to use the refrigerator at work or school and take items out of insulated boxes before placing them in the refrigerator. Researchers found the average temperature for perishable foods jumped 62 degrees by lunchtime, which is 20 degrees higher than what is considered safe.
The risk of getting a stomach bug can also be cut by avoiding food that spoils faster, including foods that contain meat or dairy products, like eggs or mayonnaise, the study shows.