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Feeding Children Safely — Food Allergies, Preparation, Storage Safety

posted on March 02, 2009 11:18

  
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Keep Hot Foods Hot, Cold Foods Cold

Safety Tip

Do not feed honey to a child under one year of age.  Honey can cause infant botulism.

Feeding Children Safely:
Food Allergies, Preparation, Storage Safety

Infants and young children are more likely than adults to get sick from bacteria found in food and milk.

This is because their immune systems are not yet fully developed. Also, they produce less of the stomach acid that kills harmful bacteria, so it is easier for them to get sick. Eating food that contains disease-causing bacteria may cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and sometimes fever. The symptoms may be mild to severe and may appear anywhere from 30 minutes to seven days after eating the contaminated milk or food. Parents and caregivers can help prevent illness caused by bacteria in food by safely preparing, storing, and serving formula and food.

Food Allergy Facts, Tips, Links

  • According to the National Institute of Health, 5-8% of children have a food allergy.
  • Signs of food allergy in infants include eczema, hives, wheezing, or vomiting from formula.
  • Among children, allergy to dairy and eggs are most common. Fortunately, these allergies tend to disappear by age three to five.
  • Allergies to peanuts continue to be present up through age seven. Following a diagnosis of nut allergy, 55% of peanut-allergic children will accidentally ingest peanuts. Accidents occurred most often in child care and school settings.
  • Children have a 40-70% risk of developing allergies, if both parents have the same allergies. The risk drops to 20-30% with one allergic parent, and 10% if the parents have no allergies.

See:

With summer comes more outdoor opportunities for picnics — at home and at child care centers. Special attention needs to be given in these settings to ensure food quality remains safe. The most common causes of food-borne illnesses are poor personal hygiene (washing hands is very important!) and letting food stay in the temperature danger zone for too long. Keeping food safe is easy if you follow a few simple rules:

Start with Safe Food

  • Use only reputable stores or dealers.
  • Do not choose foods with torn or broken packaging or dented cans.
  • Get food home and into a refrigerator or freezer quickly.

Keep It Clean

  • Wash your hands before handling food (if gloves are used, change them as often as you would wash your hands).
  • Clean and sanitize counters, tables, cutting boards, and utensils after using them and before using them on another food.
  • Wash kitchen linens daily or when soiled.
  • Wash can openers daily or when soiled.
  • Wash hands thoroughly after changing diapers or helping children in the bathroom.

  • Keep your refrigerator at 38 degrees or below.
  • Keep your freezer at 0 degrees or below.
  • Cook foods completely, and reheat foods until very hot (165 degrees).
  • Ground meat always should be well-done. Cook poultry until juices run clear. Egg yolks and whites should be firm.
  • Do not let kids taste raw batter or dough.
  • Keep foods refrigerated or hot until serving time.
  • Bacteria grow fast in the temperature danger zone (40 degrees to 140 degrees), so do not keep food at room temperature for more than two hours. Soon after eating, refrigerate leftovers in small, shallow containers.

Safety Tip

Place a thermometer in your refrigerator to ensure the temperature stays at a safe level.

Another concern includes the presence and effects of pesticides in fruits and vegetables served to children. There are some things parents can do to reduce the risk of pesticide residues in children's diets:

  • Choose a variety of foods. This will ensure a balanced diet, as well as lower the chance of problems from any one type of food.
  • Choose produce that is free from mold, bruises, and decay.
  • Wash produce in water and peel skin or outer leaves.
  • Grow your own fruits and vegetables. This gives you more control over your food, as well as being a great activity you can do with kids.
  • Know your grower. Talk to your farmer at the farmer's market, farm stand, or pick-your-own farm. It's a fun way for you and your children to learn more about the foods you eat.

Additional Articles and Resources — Parents

Keeping Food Safe for Baby —Recommended food handling practices for infant formula, expressed milk, solid baby foods.

Feeding Baby Safely — Nutrition and safety issues for commercial and homemade baby foods.

Food Safety: Tips for Feeding Infants and Young Children

Additional Articles and Resources — Professionals

Food Safety Self-Inspection for Child Care Facilities — Checklist.


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