Minn. district rolls out ‘nut safe area’ for students with allergies

In an effort to keep students with food allergies safe, Redwood Area School District has rolled out a “nut safe area” in its two cafeterias, reports Redwood Falls Gazette.

The Redwood Falls, Minn., schools have set aside several tables where students aren’t allowed to consume lunches from home, so as to prevent cross-contamination. In addition, only peanut-free meals are served in the lunch lines.

“Peanut allergies [and] tree nut allergies are our biggest concern because it’s airborne,” Redwood Valley Middle School Principal Nicole Lydick says. “You don’t need to just ingest it.”

After each meal, tables in the nut-free area are cleaned with a bleach solution to eradicate any lingering allergens, notes Laurie Milbrandt, foodservice director at the district’s combined middle school and high school. 

Read the full story at Redwood Falls Gazette.