Preventing Food Poisoning in Children
Tips to Protect Tiny Tummies from Dangerous Germs at Home
Oct 19, 2008
Contaminated food can cause havoc to little tummies, sometimes causing death. The mass food poisoning as a result of drinking formula milk contaminated with melamine in China last September made more than 50,000 infants sick, killing four of them. While it’s sometimes impossible to know what is inside food sold commercially, it is easy to ensure food safety in the home.
Safe Food Principles
In the article entitled “Safety First” that appeared in the January 2008 issue of Practical Parenting, Australia’s leading parenting magazine, dietitian Karen Kingham stresses the importance of cleanliness and temperature. Cleanliness prevents germs from contaminating food while the correct temperature prevents them from increasing to numbers that can be harmful.
“This means keeping hot food steaming hot and cold food at less than 5°C; separating raw foods from ready-to-eat foods, cleaning kitchen utensils and benches well and washing hands with soap and drying them thoroughly before handling food,” Kingham explains.
Sterilizing Feeding Equipment
Milk bottles and pacifiers should be sterilized after being cleaned to stop germs from lingering. Many sterilization options are available these days. These include electric steam sterilizers, microwave steam sterilizers, chemical sterilizers and old fashion boiling. Once sterilized, reassemble the feeding equipment and leave them in the fridge until they are ready for use.
Keeping Milk Germ-free While on the Move
Breastfeeding mothers don’t have to worry about the state of their breast milk when they are away from home. However, those using formula milk should pack a dispenser for milk powder and a flask filled with boiled water in addition to milk bottles. Never mix the powder and hot water and fill up the milk in a bottle first. Germs will thrive in it. Expressed breast milk can be kept at room temperature for up to four hours. Mothers who wish to store their expressed breast milk should keep it in the fridge at 4°C and below for up to five days.
Portioning Food
Parents who prepare home-cooked meals for babies and children can do so in bulks, says Kingham. She suggests dividing food into smaller containers or ice cube trays to let it cool faster and to allow parents to use exactly what is needed. Food that has cooled should be stored in the fridge. She also cautions against putting hot food in the freeze as this may cause thawing.
Parents who use commercial baby food should transfer only the amount needed into a bowl from the food jar or can. The untouched portion can be stored in the fridge for up to three days. Discard leftovers.
Be Aware of Product Recalls
The mass food poisoning in China resulted in mass product recalls of food products made in the country. Hence the importance of keeping abreast with what is happening around the world. Read newspapers or watch the news regularly. If unsure whether a product purchased is contaminated, just discard it. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Food safety at home should be every parent’s priority. Keeping food at the right temperature, cleaning utensils thoroughly, sterilizing feeding bottles, storing milk properly, portioning out food into amounts needed and keeping abreast of food product recalls are just some useful ways to keep young tummies safe and healthy.
 |
