Food Safety: Do You Know What’s in Your Kids’ Food?

As parents, our goal is to keep our kids healthy, and that includes making sure they eat a well-balanced diet. We load up their plates with spinach and sprouts, thinking we’re doing their bodies good—which we are. But thanks to food safety sometimes, even the healthiest foods can harbor hidden dangers.

Just about every day, the media reports about yet another food recall—ground beef contaminated with E. coli, salmonella-tainted alfalfa sprouts, a popular snack accidentally laced with peanuts or other allergens. We hear about food safety issues causing hundreds of people being sickened by contaminated eggs or spinach—and some of them die.

You don’t need to go into a panic and worry that every sprig of cilantro is going to send your children straight to the emergency room, but it’s a good idea to have at least some understanding of food safety, and to keep a lookout for food recalls.

Here are the little bugs that cause most food-related illness and a few easy safety tips to ensure that what you’re feeding your family is not only healthy, but safe too.

Food Illnesses

E. coli—These bacteria live in our intestines, and normally they’re harmless. However, a few strains can cause severe diarrhea, vomiting, and other gastrointestinal woes.

Found in: Undercooked meat (especially hamburgers), unpasteurized milk and juice, raw fruits and vegetables, soft cheeses

Salmonella—These bacteria are the most common cause of food poisoning in the U.S. Like E. coli, salmonella infection causes severe vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps.

Found in: Contaminated poultry, eggs, fruits and vegetables, unpasteurized milk

Listeria—Normally found in soil and water, the bacteria known as listeria can find their way into foods and cause the disease listeriosis, which is especially harmful to pregnant women.

Found in: Soft cheeses, unpasteurized milk, deli meats, hot dogs

Campylobacter—Although they don’t get as much press as salmonella and E. coli, campylobacter bacteria are the second most common cause of food poisoning.

Found in: Undercooked poultry, unpasteurized milk, contaminated water

Norovirus—You’ve probably heard about the norovirus or Norwalk virusfrom news reports about outbreaks on cruise ships. People not only pick up noroviruses from contaminated food and drinks, but they can also pass them from person to person.

Found in: Shellfish, foods that have been touched by infected cooks

Food Safety Tips

- Keep your raw meat and chicken separate from your vegetables. Wash your cutting board thoroughly with hot water and soap after using it to avoid cross-contamination.

- Wash your hands in warm, soapy water for 20 seconds before and after handling food.

- Cook foods to the proper temperatures:

            Ground beef, veal, lamb, pork – 160 degrees Fahrenheit

            Poultry – 165 degrees Fahrenheit

            Eggs – Until yolks and whites are firm

            Fish – Until it’s opaque and flakes with a fork

- Put all leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer, and make sure the temperature is set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below.

- Sign up for email updates to keep up with the latest food recalls at: http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/recalls/index.html or http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/default.htm

Are you concerned about food safety these days?