Pregnancy is a time that should be handled with care to ensure the safety of both the mother and the baby.
Following a healthy diet is crucial for having a healthy baby. However, as the immune system of women weaken during pregnancy; it puts both the mother and the unborn baby at a higher risk of developing some food borne illness like E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella.
Taking this into consideration, health experts from the Food & Drug Association (FDA), recommends following four simple steps to ensure safety during pregnancy.
Maintain Cleanliness
- Use warm water and soap to clean hands
- Hands should be cleaned thoroughly after handling food or pets, changing diaper and using bathroom
- Use hot water and soap to clean cutting boards, utensils and countertops
- Use fruits and vegetables only after rinsing completely under running water
Separation of Foods
- Do not keep ready-to-eat food along with raw meat, poultry and seafood
- Keep separate cutting boards for raw foods like meat, poultry and another for fruits and vegetables
- Do not use the plate used to keep raw food without washing to keep cooked food.
Cooking Food Completely
- Use a food thermometer and refer the Apply the Heat chart to cook food thoroughly.
- While cooking, with the help of the reference, avoid the danger zone- cooking between 40° F and 140° F (4° C and 60° C)
- Avoid consuming the food kept in room temperature for more than two hours
Storage of Food Items
- Set the refrigerator at 40° F (4° C) or below and the freezer at 0° F (-18° C). Use an appliance thermometer in the refrigerator to monitor the temperature
- Food that spoil easily or contaminate by bacteria should be kept in the refrigerator
- Dairy, meat, poultry, seafood and ready-to -eat foods should be used without much delay
Following are some deadly foodborne risks for pregnant women:
- Listeria- The bacterium can grow at refrigerator temperature and causes listeriosis. It is found in ready-to-eat foods and unpasteurized milk and milk products.
- Methylmercury- Consuming food high with the metal found in certain fish like shark, tilefish, king mackerel, and swordfish can be harmful to the unborn baby's brain development.
- Toxoplasma- The parasite found in raw, undercooked meat, unwashed fruits, vegetables, soil, cat-litter boxes and cat feces causes a an illness called toxoplasmosis.
