Talking Allergies

The November newsletter asked parents to sign up for making playdough for use in the classroom. I'm a little grossed out by this, I know DS isn't going to eat it, but any food products from someone else's kitchen makes me uncomfortable. What do you think of this? Do I need to chill out?

I think this is also a situation where you have every right to step in. Playdough will be all over the kids hands, desks, floor. If for some reason one batch is contaminated .......!!! In my eyes this is the equivalent of food when you consider it is in a room full of 5 year olds. For those out there who think 5 is too old to eat playdough...the play center where I take our son for mommy an me classes also has a preschool. Last month they stopped making home made playdough as two children were sneakily eating so much of it they got sick. The recipe used had kool-aid in it for colour so apparently it tasted a little too good!
What are the ingredients needed..is it a standard recipe. That still doesn't help with cross contamination but would you be able to make enough batches for the class if need be?

This is what I ask:
"When you're baking, have you ever used the same measuring cup/spoon for more than one ingredient? How can you be sure that those ingredients haven't become cross contaminated?"

I'm not willing to bet my child's life on it. We are trying to minimize risk of exposure here and this is not minimal enough.

When my daughter was in kindergarten, I volunteered to supply fresh homemade playdough for her class on a monthly basis. I used the recipe that you cook with flour, salt, food colouring and canola oil. It is not tastey. It could easily be discarded if dirty. I do not recall students eating it. Students usually placed a paper towel or a piece of wax paper on their desks to keep it from sticking to the desk. Students could be asked to wash before getting it or have individual little personal bags of it.
As the parent of the allergic student in the class it was one thing I could do to know what was in the homemade playdough and contribute to the class.