Food safety for pregnant women Pregnancy

Food safety for
pregnant women
Pregnancy can be one of the most exciting
times in your life. Following a healthy diet is an
important way to make sure that you and your
baby are getting the nutrients that you need.
However, because of all the changes taking
place in your body, both you and your unborn
baby are at an increased risk for food poisoning
(also known as food-related illness or foodborne
illness). This includes your immune system
being weakened, which can make it more
difficult to fight off infections.
While the food we eat in Canada is among the
safest in the world, some food can be
contaminated by bacteria, viruses, and parasites
(foodborne pathogens). Protect yourself and
your baby by following some simple rules and
by avoiding some types of food .
Health risks
Some people can get food poisoning and not
even know they have it. Food poisoning is
caused by eating foods that are contaminated.
Certain bacteria, viruses or parasites can cross
the placenta and increase the chance your baby
may become infected. Your unborn baby's
immune system is not developed enough to
fight off harmful bacteria. For you, the mother,
food poisoning can cause symptoms that
include:
nausea
vomiting
diarrhea
abdominal pain
fever
chills
headaches
body aches
Did you know?
Pregnant women are 20 times more likely
than other healthy adults to develop
listeriosis if they are exposed to the
Listeria bacteria.
Foodborne bacteria can be even more
dangerous for your baby's health. If you
develop food poisoning during the first three
months of pregnancy, it can cause a
miscarriage. Later on in the pregnancy, your
baby could be delivered prematurely. Foodborne
illness can also cause a stillbirth or a baby who
is born severely ill. Since your baby is
dependent on you for all its needs, it is
extremely important that you pay close attention
to what you eat and apply the following food
safety steps.
Safety tips
It is important to separate your raw meat,
poultry, fish, and seafood from other food in
your grocery cart and in your refrigerator. This
is to make sure that you are not cross-
contaminating your food.
Heat and proper cooking can kill bacteria, but
people often eat raw fruits and vegetables.
Because they are not heated or cooked, raw
fruits and vegetables that have been
contaminated by raw meat, poultry, fish, and
seafood may contain bacteria that can be
harmful to you.
Shopping
Buy cold or frozen food at the end of your
shopping trip.
Check the "best before" date on your food.
Keep your raw meat, poultry, fish, and
seafood away from other food in your
grocery cart.
Examine fruits and vegetables carefully and
avoid buying items that are bruised or
damaged.
If you use reusable grocery bags or bins,
make sure to use a specific bag or bin for
meat, poultry or seafood. Label the bag or
bin with the type of food it carries.
Did you know?
You can't tell if food is unsafe by its smell
or taste. When in doubt, throw it out!
Cleaning
Cleaning your hands, kitchen surfaces, utensils,
fruit and vegetables, and reusable grocery bags
will help eliminate bacteria and reduce the risk
of food-related illness.
Use regular soap to wash your hands . An
alcohol-based hand rub can be used if soap
and water are not available.
Use one cutting board for produce, and a
separate one for raw meat, poultry, fish and
seafood.
Use paper towels to wipe kitchen surfaces,
or change dishcloths daily to avoid the risk
of cross-contamination and the spread of
bacteria. Avoid using sponges, as they are
harder to keep bacteria-free.
Sanitize countertops, cutting boards, and
utensils before and after preparing food. Use
a kitchen sanitizer (following the directions
on the container) or a bleach solution (5 ml
household bleach to 750 ml of water), and
rinse with water.
Chilling
It is important to keep cold food cold and hot
food hot, so that your food never reaches the
"temperature danger zone." This is where
bacteria can grow quickly and cause food
poisoning.
Keep your raw meat, poultry, fish, and
seafood cold. Refrigerate or freeze them as
soon as you get home from the grocery
store.
Make sure your refrigerator is set at
4 °C (40 °F) or lower and your freezer at
-18 °C (0 °F) or lower. This will keep your
food out of the temperature danger zone
between 4 °C (40 °F) to 60 °C (140 °F)
where bacteria can grow quickly.
Place raw meat, poultry, fish, and seafood in
sealed containers or plastic bags on the
bottom shelf of your refrigerator so raw
juices won't drip onto other food.
Deli meats can be more risky for older
adults to eat. Store deli meats in the
refrigerator and use them within four days
or, preferably, two to three days after
opening.
Cook raw meat, poultry, fish, and seafood no
more than two to three days after
purchasing. If you do not intend to cook it
within this time, it should be frozen.
Thawing
The safest way to thaw food, especially raw
meat, poultry, fish or seafood, is in the
refrigerator. Always defrost food in the
refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave -
never at room temperature. Don't re-freeze
thawed food. Remember, to avoid cross-
contamination thoroughly wash your hands and
clean and sanitize the sink and all other
utensils, surfaces, and dishes that you use when
thawing the food.
Did you know?
Colour does not always tell you if your
food is safe to eat. Always follow internal
cooking temperatures to be safe!
Cooking
Cooking food properly is the best way to make
sure it is safe to eat. Bacteria like E. coli ,
Salmonella, and Listeria are killed by heat.
Cook food completely, using a clean
thermometer to measure the temperature.
See Health Canada's safe internal cooking
temperatures to learn the proper way of
taking measurements and to make sure that
the food has been cooked to a safe internal
temperature.
If you are cooking several pieces of meat,
poultry, fish or seafood, make sure to check
the internal temperature of the thickest
pieces because food can cook unevenly.
Cut away any bruised or damaged areas,
since harmful bacteria can thrive in these
areas.
Make sure that cooked foods don't come
into contact with any food that hasn't been
cooked.
Keep hot foods at or above 60ºC (140°F).
Bacteria can grow quickly in the danger zone
between 4°C to 60°C (40°F to 140°F).
Leftovers
Refrigerate or freeze all leftovers within two
hours to minimize the chance of bacteria
growing.
To store leftovers safely, cut and debone the
meat from large cooked birds.
Avoid overstocking the refrigerator, so that
cool air can circulate effectively.
Use refrigerated leftovers as soon as
possible, ideally within two to four days.
When reheating food, make sure it's cooked
to a temperature of at least 74°C (165°F). In
general, you shouldn't reheat the same
leftovers more than once.
Select safer alternatives
Some types of food can be a higher risk for
pregnant women because of the way they are
produced and how they are stored. You can
minimize your chances of getting food poisoning
by avoiding some types of food. The following
chart can help you make alternative choices
when selecting food.
(Always refer to safe internal cooking
temperatures. )
Alternative food choices
Type of
food Food to avoid Safer
alternative
Dairy
products
Raw or
unpasteurized
dairy products,
including
pasteurized
soft and semi-
soft cheese
such as Brie,
Camembert,
and blue-
veined cheese.
Pasteurized
dairy products
and hard
cheeses such
as Colby,
Cheddar,
Swiss, and
Parmesan.
Hot
dogs
Hot dogs
straight from
the package
without further
heating.
Hot dogs
thoroughly
cooked to a
safe internal
temperature.
The middle of
the hot dog
should be
steaming hot
or 74°C
(165°F).
Tip: To help
prevent food
poisoning,
avoid
spreading fluid
from packages
onto other
food, cutting
boards,
utensils,
dishes, and
food
preparation
surfaces. Wash
your hands
after handling
hot dogs.
Deli
meats
Non-dried deli
meats, such
as bologna,
roast beef, and
turkey breast.
Dried and
salted deli
meats such as
salami and
pepperoni.
Non-dried deli
meats heated
throughout to
steaming hot.
Egg and
egg
products
Raw or lightly
cooked egg or
egg products,
including salad
dressings,
cookie dough,
cake batter,
sauces, and
drinks such as
homemade
eggnog.
Egg dishes
thoroughly
cooked to a
safe internal
temperature.
Eggs should be
cooked until
the yolk is
firm.
Homemade
eggnog must
be heated to
71°C (160°F).
Tip:
Pasteurized
egg products
can be used
when making
uncooked food
that calls for
raw eggs.
Meat
and
poultry
Raw or
undercooked
meat or
poultry, such
as steak tartar.
Meat and
poultry cooked
to a safe
internal
temperature.
(refer to the
Internal
Cooking
Temperatures
Chart)
Tip: To help
prevent food
poisoning,
remember to
use a digital
food
thermometer to
check the
internal
temperature.
Seafood
Raw seafood,
such as sushi.
Seafood
cooked to a
safe internal
temperature of
74°C (165°F).
Raw oysters,
clams, and
mussels.
Cook until the
shell has
opened.
Refrigerated,
smoked
seafood.
Smoked
seafood in
cans that do
not require
refrigeration
until after
opening.
Tip:
Refrigerated
smoked
seafood can be
eaten safely
when fully
cooked to a
safe internal
temperature,
such as in a
casserole.
Sprouts
Raw sprouts
such as alfalfa,
clover, radish,
and mung
beans.
Thoroughly
cooked
sprouts.
Pâtés
and
meat
spreads
Refrigerated
pâtés and
meat spreads.
Pâtés and meat
spreads sold in
cans or those
that do not
require
refrigeration
until after
opening.
Fruit
juice
and
cider
Unpasteurized
fruit juice and
cider.
Unpasteurized
fruit juice and
cider brought
to a rolling boil
and cooled.
Pasteurized
fruit juice and
cider.
Also, it is strongly suggested that you pay
attention to food recalls and learn more about
general food safety.
How the Government of Canada
protects you
The Government of Canada is committed to food
safety. Health Canada establishes regulations
and standards relating to the safety and
nutritional quality of foods sold in Canada.
Through inspection and enforcement activities,
the Canadian Food Inspection Agency verifies
that food sold in Canada meets Health Canada's
requirements.

Thanks,
M.Sai Ram