Every mother wants their children to eat a healthy, well balanced diet that includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. More importantly, no mother ever expects that the produce they purchase could ever pose a threat to their child’s health. That’s just what mother Lissa Merlin thought when she picked up a bunch of bananas at her local grocery store near her home in the UK, until one of children became extremely ill after eating one. This is her story.

When Bananas Become Fatal

Lissa’s daughter Dionne fell ill not long after eating one of the bananas she had just brought home from the grocery store. Lissa checked the banana her daughter had been eating and noticed that it had reddish-black streak down the center of the fruit. Lissa immediately took her daughter the hospital, where she quickly recovered and was released. (1)

What is that Reddish-Black Streak inside some Bananas?

The reddish-black streak that Lissa and many others have found in their bananas is a type of black mold called Nigrospora. It is naturally occurring in bananas and has so far not been clinically proven to be toxic to humans or animals. It is a fungal disease that affects the fruit in the tropical location where it is grown and causes the center of the banana to become reddish-black, and can therefore be found in any bananas, regardless of the country from which they are imported. (2)

As previously stated, while it may not taste very good, this mold is not a proven threat to human health. (2)

Food Safety Tips for Kids

Lissa and Dionne’s story has a happy ending because Lissa was vigilant and reacted quickly after discovering the strange looking banana. It does, however, serve as a reminder of the important role parents play in both protecting and educating their children on the importance of food safety. These are just a few tips parents should follow to ensure their children’s food is always safe to eat:

1. Inspect the food before serving it.
   Before you give your child their food, take a good look at it. Check for things like mold, odd discolorations or spots, insects, and anything that seems inedible or out of the ordinary. While in most cases things like bruises or bumps are naturally occurring and nothing to worry about, you always want to be sure. Remember, food grows outside where it is exposed to dirt, bugs, and other elements that you don’t necessarily want to ingest.

2. Wash all your produce first.
   Always wash your fruits and vegetables thoroughly to ensure removal of any bacteria, viruses, insects, or chemical pollutants. Even if you buy pre-washed and/or organic produce, you should still take a moment to wash them yourself. This also gives you a chance to fully inspect the food before your family gets at it.

3. Monitor your kids while they eat.
   Kids are often culprits of eating too fast, talking while eating, or taking big bites that are more than they can handle, and are highly susceptible to choking. It is even more important for you to watch your children when they are trying a new food, in case they have an unknown allergy. Keep an eye on them while they are eating the new food, as well as for a couple of hours afterwards, to ensure they don’t have a delayed-onset reaction.

4. When in doubt, throw it out.
   A little uneaten food here or there is well worth it when it comes to the safety of yourself and your family. If you are at all unsure as to whether a food is safe to consume, toss it in the compost bin for your garden. Considering most food borne illnesses actually come from the home due to poor food handling (unwashed hands, unwashed produce, cross contamination), it is important to realize that you have the most control over you and your family’s safety. (3)

Whether or not Lissa’s daughter falling ill after consuming that banana was a coincidence or actually caused by the mold, it serves as a reminder that we have the most control over the health and safety of the fresh foods we buy, prepare, and eat. Share this article with your friends and family to spread awareness and remind them to remain vigilant when it comes to food safety in their homes.

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