fish 140F (60C)
egg dishes, casseroles 160F (71C)
When cooking food in the microwave, it is impor-
tant to avoid cold spots. This is why microwave heat-
ing directions often include instructions to stir food
halfway through cooking; stirring helps to eliminate
cold spots and evenly distribute heat. Reheated left-
overs should reach a minimum temperature of 165F
(74C). It is best to cook leftover sauces, soups, and
gravy to a boil.Precautions
New information on food safety constantly is
developed and released, so consumers should watch
for updated information. This is particularly true of
product recalls, such as those that occurred in late
2006.Complications
By not following food safety guidelines, consum-
ers run the risk of developing food poisoning or caus-
ing it in a family member or other person served food.
There have been reports of food poisoning at family
and community events because a preparer or those
gathered did not follow food safety precautions. Eat-
ing or drinking contaminated food almost always
causes diarrhea, which can be a serious health risk
for infants and other people at risk of complications.
Depending on the cause and type of foodborne illness,
a person also might experience fever, nausea, vomit-
ing, and abdominal cramps. Many people mistakenly
believe that symptoms of food poisoning must appear
within hours of eating the contaminated food. But
symptoms can appear in 30 minutes, 12 hours or up
to one week later. The safety of the American food
supply may improve as greater scrutiny, coordination,
and possibly regulations are applied to the production,
packaging, and preparation of food in the country.
This concern for better scrutiny also applies in other
countries.Parental concerns
Pregnant women need to pay particular attention
to food hygiene and avoidance of some high risk foods
is recommended.
Although potentially fatal cases of diarrhea from
e. coli in young children have declined in recent years,
it is important to remember that infants and young
children are very vulnerable to food poisoning. It is
important to carefully store breast milk and infant
formula, keeping mixed formula no longer than 24hours in the refrigerator. Any formula that is past
the expiration date listed on the container should be
discarded and when feeding an infant, parents and
caregivers should throw away the formula or breast
milk that is left in a bottle after feeding. Bottles should
not sit around, but should be refrigerated. After two
hours of sitting out, a bottle can be contaminated with
salmonella. Babies under age one should never receive
any food containing honey, even if it is cooked, as
honey can contains botulism spores. Botulism can be
deadly for babies.
When babies and toddlers start eating solid foods,
it is important to check the expiration date and seal on
the baby food jar. Dipping the spoon into the jar after
using it to feed the baby and then refrigerating the jar
with leftovers inside is not recommended. Germs from
the baby’s mouth can contaminate the food. Instead,
the food should be poured from the jar into a dish and
the baby should be fed from the dish.Resources
ORGANIZATIONS
American Dietetic Association. 120 South Riverside Plaza,
Suite 2000. Chicago, IL 60605. (800) 877-1600.<http://
http://www.homefoodsafety.org>
Food Standards Agency.<http://www.eatwell.gov.uk>
Partnership for Food Safety Education. 50 F Street NW, 6th
Floor, Washington, DC 20001. (202) 220-0651.<http://
http://www.fightbac.org>
U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1400 Independence Ave.
SW, Washington, D.C. 20250. (800) 687-2258.<http://
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov>Teresa G. OdleFood sensitivities
Definition
Food sensitivity, also known as food intolerance,
can be defined as a reproducible, adverse reaction to a
food, or food ingredient, at a dose tolerated by most
people. It is technically described as non-allergenic
food hypersensitivity as it does not involve the
immune system, unlike in cases of food allergy where
an immune response is involved. Typically the features
of food sensitivity are less severe and take a longer
time to manifest, compared with food allergy where
symptoms can be potentially life-threatening and
occur soon after ingestion.Food sensitivities