Is It Safe To Eat Your Jack O Lantern Halloween Pumpkin?

Martin Deja via Getty Images We spoke to food safety experts about decorative Halloween pumpkins and when you can use them as food. “You use a pumpkin as an ingredient or as a decoration, but not as both,” said Darin Detwiler, a professor of food policy at Northeastern University and author of “Food Safety: Past, Present, and Predictions.” Buying a pumpkin, carving it, having it as a decoration and then turning it into food may seem like a good way to avoid food waste, but food safety should be considered to avoid any risks of food-borne illnesses. “To minimize food waste, one could decorate the pumpkin without cutting it so it can be used as food,” Baker said. “Decorations can be fastened to the outside without puncturing the skin.” Emilie Berner, a chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education, adds, “I’d recommend they get a smaller pumpkin or don’t carve it at all and decorate it creatively with paints, stickers, pom-poms, etc.” If you use paints or glitter, she says, “Make sure to cut all of that away before cooking, and don’t drag it through your pumpkin with your knife as you’re working with it.” If you change how you decorate your pumpkin this year so you can eat it, rinse it with water before cooking with it to reduce risks of cross-contamination. “These pumpkins have a woody texture, a thin wall, and do not have the full flavor as a pie pumpkin that is bred for use as a food,” Baker said.