Food Safety

Children ages five and under are at more risk of food poisoning because:

• Their immune system is still developing so they can’t fight off infections as well as adults can.
• Their stomach produces less of the stomach acid that kills harmful bacteria, making it easier for them to get food poisoning.
• Food poisoning can lead to complications that can result in serious illnesses such as dehydration, Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome and infant botulism.

Foods to Avoid

To lower your child’s risk of food poisoning, it is important to follow safe food handling practices like the ones listed above. It is also important to avoid giving your child certain foods such as:

• Raw or unpasteurized milk, fruit juice and cider.
• Raw or undercooked meat, poultry, fish, shellfish and sprouts.
• Raw or lightly cooked eggs (e.g. runny yolk).
• Products that have raw eggs like some salad dressings, cookie dough, and cake batter.

If your child is less than a year old, avoid giving them honey. This includes pasteurized honey. Honey puts a young child at risk of infant botulism. Infant botulism can cause serious complications, including death, in babies.

Well Water

If you have a private well, test your water for bacteria twice a year. Free testing is available at Government Service Centres. You should test your private well water for metals such as arsenic, uranium and manganese at least once every two years. Infants fed powdered infant formula are most at risk.

Check out Safe Food Handling for Children Ages 5 and Under for more information.

If you are pregnant, you and your unborn baby are more at risk of food poisoning because:

• All the changes happening in your body weaken your immune system.
• Some bacteria like Listeria can go through the placenta which increases your baby’s risk of getting infected.
• Food poisoning can cause you to have a miscarriage or your baby to be born prematurely, very sick or even stillborn.

Foods to Avoid

To lower your and your baby’s risk of food poisoning, it is important to follow safe food handling practices like the ones listed above. It is also important to avoid foods that are higher risk, such as:

• Uncooked hot dogs.
• Deli meats like bologna, roast beef, ham and turkey.
• Raw or unpasteurized dairy products, fruit juice and cider.
• Raw or undercooked meat, poultry, fish, shellfish and sprouts.
• Raw or lightly cooked eggs (e.g. runny yolk).
• Products that have raw eggs like some salad dressings, cookie dough, and cake batter.
• Refrigerated pâtés and meat spreads.

Well Water

If you have a private well, it is also important to have your water tested for bacteria twice a year. Free testing is available at Government Service Centres. You should also test your private well water for metals such as arsenic, uranium and manganese at least once every two years. If you are planning to become pregnant, test your water for metals prior to becoming pregnant.

Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis is also dangerous for your unborn baby. In addition to the foods to avoid above, some tips to prevent toxoplasmosis include:

• Washing your hands, utensils and cutting boards after handling raw meat.
• Having someone else clean your cat’s litter box. If you have to clean your cat’s litter box, wear gloves and be careful not to swallow dust. Clean the litter box daily and wash your hands when you finish.
• Wear gloves when you garden and wash your hands when you finish.
• If you have a sandbox, put a secure cover on it to stop cats from using it as a litter box.

For more information about toxoplasmosis, click here.

Check out Safe Food Handling for Pregnant Women for more information to keep you and your baby food safe.

Most people who get food poisoning recover well, but for older adults, serious problems can be more problem because:

• It is harder for their immune system to protect them
• Chronic diseases like diabetes and kidney disease can also make it hard to fight off infections.

Foods to Avoid

To lower your risk of food poisoning, it is important to follow safe food handling practices like the ones listed above. It is also important to avoid foods that are higher risk, such as:

• Uncooked hot dogs.
• Deli meats like bologna, roast beef, ham and turkey.
• Raw or unpasteurized dairy products, fruit juice and cider.
• Raw or undercooked meat, poultry, fish, shellfish and sprouts.
• Raw or lightly cooked eggs (e.g. runny yolk).
• Products that have raw eggs like some salad dressings, cookie dough, and cake batter.
• Refrigerated pâtés and meat spreads.

Check out Safe Food Handling for Adults Ages 60 and Over for more information to keep you food safe.

Some conditions, as well as treatments for certain conditions, can make it harder for you to fight bacteria that cause food poisoning. Examples include:

• Alcoholism
• Cancer
• Diabetes
• HIV/AIDS
• Organ transplant
• Taking high doses of drugs such as steroids or immune suppressants

Foods to Avoid

To lower your risk of food poisoning, it is important to follow safe food handling practices like the ones listed above. It is also important to avoid foods that are higher risk, such as:

• Uncooked hot dogs.
• Deli meats like bologna, roast beef, ham and turkey.
• Raw or unpasteurized dairy products, fruit juice and cider.
• Raw or undercooked meat, poultry, fish, shellfish and sprouts.
• Raw or lightly cooked eggs (e.g. runny yolk).
• Products that have raw eggs like some salad dressings, cookie dough, and cake batter.
• Refrigerated pâtés and meat spreads.

Check out Safe Food Handling for Immunocompromised Individuals for more information to keep you food safe.