
Food safety is vital for everyone – but especially for pregnant women, their unborn babies, and children younger than five. This booklet explains why and provides real-world advice on how to lower the risk of foodborne illness for pregnant women and their unborn babies, and how parents can protect their young children from foodborne infections.
In addition to the information in this booklet, talk with your health care provider about any foods or other products to avoid because of any special health needs for you or your child.
Food Safety: Why It’s Critically Important for Pregnant Women, Their Unborn Babies, and Children Under Five.
When disease-causing bacteria, viruses, or parasites (germs) contaminate food, they can trigger foodborne illness, often called food poisoning.
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 48 million persons — or 1 of every 6 people — get foodborne infections each year. Of those, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die from their foodborne illness.
- Pregnant women are at high risk of developing food poisoning because pregnancy affects their immune system’s ability to fight foodborne infections. The immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body against infectious organisms and other invaders.
- Unborn babies are just beginning to develop immune systems and have little power to resist foodborne disease.
- Because of the immune system changes in women during pregnancy and the developing immune systems of unborn children, they are both especially at risk for illnesses caused by Listeria monocytogenes and Toxoplasma gondii. The infection caused by these two organisms can pass to an unborn child even if the mother doesn’t show signs of infection.
- Listeria monocytogenes (LM) is a harmful germ found in many foods, including ready-to eat refrigerated foods like deli meats, unpasteurized (raw) milk, and such foods as soft cheeses made with unpasteurized milk. LM can lead to a disease called listeriosis. Every year, 2,500 Americans become ill with listeriosis — 1 out of 5 cases result in death. About one-third of listeriosis cases happen during pregnancy. Listeriosis can cause miscarriage, premature delivery, stillbirth, and serious sickness or death for a newborn baby.
- Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite found in many food sources, as well as cat litter boxes and other areas where cats may leave their waste. It can cause hearing loss, blindness, and brain damage in babies.
Other organisms that can cause food poisoning, including Salmonella, Campylobacter, and E. Coli, also may lead to health complications for pregnant women, unborn babies, and newborns.
- Children younger than 5 years have a high risk of foodborne illness and related health problems because their immune systems are still developing, and they cannot fight off infections as well as older children and adults. Also, young children make less stomach acid that kills harmful bacteria, making it easier for them to get sick.
- Because young children’s bodies are small, the vomiting and/or diarrhea often resulting from foodborne illness can lead to serious dehydration.
- In children under 5 years, some foodborne infections with the bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli) can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome, a severe complication that can cause chronic kidney disease, kidney failure, and death. E. coli infections are likely to come from undercooked ground meat, unpasteurized (“raw”) milk, unpasteurized fruit juice, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and even frozen cookie dough, if eaten before it is cooked.
The good news is that choosing and preparing foods safely helps avoid getting food poisoning.
Eating at Home: Making Wise Food Choices Some foods are riskier than others. The foods most likely to contain harmful bacteria or viruses fall into two categories: • Uncooked fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Some animal products, such as unpasteurized (raw) milk; soft cheeses made with raw milk; and raw or undercooked eggs, raw meat, raw poultry, raw fish, raw shellfish and their juices; luncheon meats and deli-type salads (without added preservatives) prepared onsite in a deli type establishment.
- Honey can cause botulism, a rare but very serious disease, in babies under 12 months old. Do not give them honey or pacifiers dipped in or filled with honey.
- The risk these foods pose depends on the origin or source of the food and how the food is processed, stored, and prepared.
Advice About Eating Fish For Women Who Are or Might Become Pregnant, Breastfeeding Mothers, and Young Children.
Fish Provide Key Nutrients That Support A Child’s Brain Development.
Fish are part of a healthy eating pattern and provide key nutrients during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and/or early childhood to support a child’s brain development:
- Omega-3 (called DHA and EPA) and omega-6 fats.
- Iron.
- Iodine (during pregnancy).
- Choline
Choline also supports development of the baby’s spinal cord. Fish provide iron and zinc to support children’s immune systems. Fish are a source of other nutrients like protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and selenium, too.
Eating Fish Can Provide Other Health Benefits Too.
Fish intake during pregnancy is recommended because moderate scientific evidence shows it can help your baby’s cognitive development.
Strong evidence shows that eating fish, as part of a healthy eating pattern, may have heart health benefits. Healthy eating patterns that include fish may have other benefits too. Moderate scientific evidence shows that eating patterns relatively higher in fish but also in other foods, including vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, low- or non-fat dairy, lean meats and poultry, nuts, and unsaturated vegetable oils, and lower in red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened foods and beverages, and refined grains are associated with:
- Promotion of bone health – decreases the risk for hip fractures.
- Decreases in the risk of becoming overweight or obese.
- Decreases in the risk for colon and rectal cancers.
There is moderate scientific evidence of a relationship between the eating pattern as a whole and the potential health benefit.
A healthy eating pattern consists of choices across all food groups (vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy, and protein foods, which includes fish), eaten in recommended amounts, and within calorie needs. Healthy eating patterns include foods that provide vitamins, minerals, and other health-promoting components and have no or little added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium.
The Dietary Guidelines For Eating Fish As Part Of A Healthy Eating Pattern.
The Dietary Guidelines recommends:
- At least 8 ounces of seafood (less for children§) per week based on a 2,000 calories diet.
- Those who are pregnant or breastfeeding consume between 8 and 12 ounces per week of a variety of seafood from choices that are lower in mercury.
Note on Flour and Raw Dough.
Flour, regardless of the brand, can contain bacteria that cause disease. An outbreak of illness caused by a strain of bacteria called E. coli sickened dozens of people across the country. Ten million pounds of flour were recalled, including unbleached, all-purpose, and self-rising varieties.
Some of the recalled flours had been used by restaurants that allow children to play with dough made from raw flour while waiting for their meals, although the Federal government advises restaurants not to give customers raw dough.
Flour is ground from raw grain. It may be bleached, but it isn’t usually treated to kill bacteria like E. coli. or Salmonella. So, keep yourself and your family healthy:
- Do not eat any raw cookie dough, cake mix, batter, or any other raw dough or batter product that is supposed to be cooked or baked.
- Follow package directions for cooking products containing flour at proper temperatures and for specified times.
- Wash hands, work surfaces, and utensils thoroughly after contact with flour and raw dough products.
- Keep raw foods separate from other foods while preparing them to prevent any contamination that may be present from spreading. Be aware that flour may spread easily due to its powdery nature.
Follow label directions to chill products containing raw dough promptly after purchase until baked.
Taking Care: Handling and Preparing Food for Pregnant Women and Children Under 5 Safely.
Foodborne germs are sneaky. Food that looks fine can contain pathogens – disease-causing bacteria, viruses, or parasites – that can make you sick. Never taste a food to see if it is safe to eat.
It’s important for anyone handling and preparing food to always be careful. For pregnant women, and anyone fixing food for them, it’s vital. The proven way to do this is to know and follow the four basic steps to food safety – clean, separate, cook, and chill.
NOTE: Young children learn food safety behaviors from their parents and caregivers. Handwashing is especially important, both by children as well as those caring for them.
About US
WHO WE ARE
Safety Centre Food Safety Division, we provide the best food safety and quality consulting, auditing and training services. A full-service, international food safety consulting leader, we help organizations manage food safety related risks, exceed regulatory and certification requirements—while protecting your brand. We offer affordable turnkey and customized food safety solutions for organizations of all sizes.
We have in-depth experience in regulatory policies, certification audit requirements, food security and defense, Standards Assessments, and food safety consulting and training. We have completed food safety projects for several clients. Over the years we have become known as the “hands-on pragmatists.”
Visit: www.foodsafety.org.ng www.safetycentre.ng www.workpro.ng
Call: 09057666623 09057666626