Are Free Food Samples Safe for Kids? The Top 5 Things Every Parent Should Know.

1. Not Everything Is Clearly Labeled.

One of the biggest safety concerns with grocery store and warehouse club samples is the lack of proper labeling. Unlike packaged food, free samples do not always have information about ingredients. If your child has food allergies, especially a high sensitivity to a certain one, this can be a serious problem. It is taking a gamble every time your child tries something at a sample station, and you do not know exactly what is in the food your child is consuming. Even if you ask a store employee, be cautious. While they do their best to help you, employees may not know all the ingredients or be unintentionally forgetful about key allergens.

2. Cross-Contamination Is a Serious Food Allergy Risk.

Even if a sample does not contain an allergen, there is a chance it was contaminated by one. Cross-contamination happens when an allergen from one food is distributed to another food through shared utensils, cutting boards, food preparers, or even frying pans that were not cleaned after each use. Sample stations are not very big, so employees may use the same utensils and serving trays to save space. In addition, in the chaos of preparing and passing out samples, an employee may forget to change gloves after handling a different food with known allergens. As parents with kids who have severe allergies know, this can be dangerous when your child’s allergy can be triggered by even a trace amount of an allergen. The tricky part is that cross-contamination can happen even when employees try to be mindful of their food handling.

3. Improper Food Storage Can Lead to Spoiled Samples.

Young children are especially vulnerable to foodborne illnesses, and unfortunately, grocery store samples do not always meet the strict food safety standards, as outlined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, especially when it comes to temperature control. For example, dairy products like cheeses or cream-based salad dressings should be kept on refrigerated surfaces to keep their temperature below 40 degrees to stay safe. Temperatures for hot foods like cooked meats or soups should be at least 140 degrees. Food that is left out for too long or stored at the wrong temperature can become a breeding ground for bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal illnesses such as Salmonella, Listeria, or E. coli in children younger than five whose immune systems are still developing. And the scary part is that bacteria can start growing in as little as one to two hours in a food that is kept at room temperature.

4. Unsanitary Handling Is More Common Than You Think.

One of the risks of grocery store and warehouse club food samples is the unsanitary handling by shoppers and the employees working the sample station. Our child injury lawyers have seen situations where customers reach into a bowl or container with their bare hands. Grabbing a cracker sample or coughing or sneezing near an open sample tray is not only unsanitary but just plain gross. We have also observed instances where an employee reuses utensils without properly cleaning them first due to a lack of resources, time, and space. Lastly, some employees may forget to change out their gloves in between performing tasks to keep up with the demand of their station.

5. Substituting Ingredients Can Be Dangerous.

When it comes to hot or prepared food samples, employees may prepare a selection by cooking it in peanut oil instead of the recommended vegetable oil on the product’s label. Or an employee may switch from milk to a plant-based substitute like almond or soy milk without considering the allergen-prone ingredients. Lastly, some samples may be prepared in bulk at off-site kitchens and may have undisclosed ingredients not listed anywhere at the sample station. So, even if there are no allergens on the packaging, this lack of transparency can put children at risk of severe allergic reactions.

Learn more about the most common food allergens in this article.

What Can I Do to Protect My Child from an Allergic Reaction at a Grocery Store or Warehouse Club?

There are precautions you can take to keep your child safe while they enjoy a free sample at the store:

• Ask store employees questions and examine the food packaging before accepting a sample for your child. Find out what is in the sample and how it was prepared. Skip that snack if they are not sure or relay that it was prepared off-site.
• Avoid samples in open trays to avoid cross-contamination. Instead, opt for samples that are served by a worker wearing gloves.
• Practice saying “no thank you.” When you are in doubt about a sample’s ingredients or preparation process, it is better not to accept the snack than to deal with a scary reaction or illness later. Showing your child how to decline these samples politely can empower them and keep them safe from an allergen.
• Teach your children to ask first. Older kids may be offered samples without a parent present, so teach them to disclose their allergies and ask about trigger ingredients before accepting a new snack. You can also teach them about temperature-sensitive foods, even if they don’t have any allergies.
• Bring your own snacks. If your child gets hungry while shopping and you don’t want them to miss out on the sample action, bring a small, prepackaged snack that you know is safe for them to eat.

What Should I Do If My Child Suffers an Allergic Reaction or Gets Sick After Eating Free Samples?

If your child suffers a severe allergic reaction despite you following the appropriate protocols (asking about ingredients and preparation, and checking the package before allowing your child to enjoy a sample), you may have the right to take legal action. Contact our experienced child injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm by calling 214-699-4409 or emailing us at intake@buttonlawfirm.com.

Severe allergic reactions and foodborne illnesses can involve costly trips to the emergency room and expensive medications to stabilize your child. That’s why speaking with our experienced and compassionate team can help determine the compensation you might be owed and the best path forward for your child and family.

More Free Food Allergy Resources for Parents

We understand that information is power when it comes to kids and severe food allergies. That’s why our team has created several free resources to help your child avoid contact with known allergens outside of your home:

• Tips for Texas Parents Choosing a Daycare for Kids with Allergies
• A Guide to Preventing Allergic Reactions at Daycare Centers in Texas
• How a Daycare Can Cause an Allergic Reaction or Allergy-Related Injury

Did Your Child Suffer an Allergic Reaction or Get Ill After Consuming a Sample? Contact The Button Law Firm.

If your child suffered a severe allergic reaction or food poisoning after consuming a sample at a grocery store or warehouse club anywhere in Texas, contact our experienced Texas child injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm. With lawyers in Dallas, Houston, and Midland, we are ready to listen, fight for your family, and help your family move forward. Our lawyers at The Button Law Firm are recognized on the prestigious Texas Super Lawyers list, and we can help guide you after a traumatizing incident involving your child. We work on contingency, meaning we don’t charge you or collect any upfront fees to get started on your case. Call us at 214-699-4409, email us at intake@buttonlawfirm.com, or fill out a contact form for a free case evaluation.