30 Oct 2019

Ministry wants to ban choke-risk foods from ECE centres

From Morning Report, 7:19 am on 30 October 2019

Sausages, chips and popcorn could be banned from early childhood centres because of the choking risk they pose for under-five-year-olds.

The Education Ministry says pre-schoolers are at a higher risk of choking because they have small air and food passages and they are still learning how to chew food properly.

It is considering making centres follow Health Ministry guidelines that would exclude some foods altogether, and require special preparation for others.

RNZ education correspondent, John Gerritsen, told Susie Ferguson how the proposed ban would work.