January 23, 2009 - With a 28.5 per cent increase reported in the number of people visiting Thunder Bay District food banks between November 2007 and November 2008, donations are welcomed and appreciated. Although most food donations are safe to consume, some can be a risk for causing food-borne illness.

“Sometimes people donate foods that have been around for awhile or that they haven’t used up,” said Ken Adams, public health inspector. “Some of these items are okay to donate and some aren’t. We are asking people to be informed and follow these guidelines so that donated food will not be a health risk. If you wouldn’t eat it, please don’t donate it.”

Here are the guidelines:

• Donate food that is labelled. Unmarked foods may contain ingredients that someone eating the food may be allergic to.
• Donate cans that are in good shape. The cans cannot be dented, rusted or damaged. Dents or other damage may allow illness-causing germs and bacteria into the food.
• Be aware of the expiration date. If canned food is past the best before date, do not donate.
• Donate unopened packages or containers of food. Opened and partially used food cannot be distributed for food safety reasons. 

Local food banks welcome all donations. Here is a list of the top 10 most needed foods:

• Canned meats (tuna, ham, chicken, salmon)
• Canned fruits
• Canned vegetables
• Pasta sauce
• Pasta and rice (including macaroni and cheese)
• Cereals (ready-to-eat and oatmeal)
• Canned soups and canned baked beans
• 100% fruit juice
• Peanut butter
• Canned and powdered milk

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