When disease-causing bacteria, viruses, or parasites (germs) contaminate food, they can trigger foodborne illness, often called food poisoning. While the food supply in the United States is among the safest in the world, it can still be a source of infection.

• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 48 million persons — or 1 of every 6 people — get foodborne infections each year. Of those, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die from their foodborne illness.
• Pregnant women are at high risk of developing food poisoning because pregnancy affects their immune system’s ability to fight foodborne infections. The immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body against infectious organisms and other invaders.
• Unborn babies are just beginning to develop immune systems and have little power to resist foodborne disease.
• Because of the immune system changes in women during pregnancy and the developing immune systems of unborn children, they are both especially at risk for illnesses caused by Listeria monocytogenes and Toxoplasma gondii. The infection caused by these two organisms can pass to an unborn child even if the mother doesn’t show signs of infection.
  • Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is a harmful germ found in many foods, including ready-toeat refrigerated foods like deli meats, unpasteurized (raw) milk, and such foods as soft cheeses made with unpasteurized milk. Lm can lead to a disease called listeriosis. Every year, 2,500 Americans become ill with listeriosis — 1 out of 5 cases result in death. About one-third of listeriosis cases happen during pregnancy. Listeriosis can cause miscarriage, premature delivery, stillbirth, and serious sickness or death for a newborn baby.
  • Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite found in many food sources, as well as cat litter boxes and other areas where cats may leave their waste. It can cause hearing loss, blindness, and brain damage in babies.
  • Other organisms that can cause food poisoning, including Salmonella, Campylobacter, and E. Coli, also may lead to health complications for pregnant women, unborn babies, and newborns.
• Children younger than 5 years have a high risk of foodborne illness and related health problems because their immune systems are still developing, and they cannot fight off infections as well as older children and adults. Also, young children make less stomach acid that kills harmful bacteria, making it easier for them to get sick.
• Because young children’s bodies are small, the vomiting and/or diarrhea often resulting from foodborne illness can lead to serious dehydration.
• In children under 5 years, some foodborne infections with the bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli) can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome, a severe complication that can cause chronic kidney disease, kidney failure, and death. E. coli infections are likely to come from undercooked ground meat, unpasteurized (“raw”) milk, unpasteurized fruit juice, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and even frozen cookie dough, if eaten before it is cooked.

Children younger than five years are at an increased risk for foodborne illness and related health complications because their immune systems are still developing. Young children with developing immune systems cannot fight off infections as well as adults. In addition, young children produce less stomach acid that kills harmful bacteria, making it easier for them to get sick.

Foodborne illness (also called food poisoning) can be particularly dangerous for young children because it often causes vomiting or diarrhea or both. Since children's bodies are small, they can quickly lose a lot of body fluid and become dehydrated.

Food safety for young children depends on the food safety behaviors of their parents and caregivers. Handwashing is especially important. Children and those caring for them should wash hands often, especially before, during and after preparing food and before eating.

In children under 5 years old, E. coli infections are more likely to lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a severe complication that can cause chronic kidney disease, kidney failure and death.

Symptoms of HUS are:

• Urinating less often
• Feeling very tired
• Losing pink color in cheeks and inside the lower eyelids

These new symptoms usually develop after about a week of E. coli illness, when the diarrhea is improving.

If you prepare food for children under the age of five, you should always follow these four steps:

Clean: Wash hands, utensils and surfaces often. Germs can spread and survive in many places.

Separate: Raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs can spread illness-causing bacteria to ready-to-eat foods, so keep them separate.

Cook:Food is safely cooked only when the internal temperature is high enough to kill germs that can make you sick. See the safe minimum cooking temperatures chart for how to safely prepare meat, seafood, chicken, and other foods.

Chill: Refrigerate perishable food promptly. Bacteria that cause food poisoning multiply quickest between 40°F (4°C) and 140°F (60°C).

Follow these precautions when microwaving baby food:

• Don't microwave baby foods in the jar. Instead, transfer the food to a dish before microwaving it. This way the food can be stirred and taste-tested for temperature.
• Microwave four ounces of solid food in a dish for about 15 seconds on high power. Always stir, let stand 30 seconds, and taste-test before feeding. Food that's "baby-ready" should taste or feel lukewarm.
• Don't heat baby-food meats, meat sticks, or eggs in the microwave. Use the stovetop instead. These foods have a high fat content, and since microwaves heat fats faster than other substances, these foods can cause splattering and overheating.

How to Prepare Formula

• Carefully read and follow the instructions on the infant formula container.
• Wash your hands well before preparing bottles or feeding your baby.
• Clean and sanitize the workspace where you will prepare the infant formula.
• Use clean, sanitized bottles. Learn how to clean, sanitize, and store infant feeding items.
• If you use powdered infant formula, use water from a safe source to mix it. If you are not sure if your tap water is safe to use for preparing infant formula, contact your local health department.
• Use the amount of water listed on the instructions of the infant formula container. Always measure the water first and then add the powder.
• If your baby is younger than 3 months old, was born prematurely, or has a weakened immune system, you may want to take extra precautions in preparing your infant’s formula to protect against Cronobacter, a rare but serious infection that can be caused by germs in powdered infant formula.
• Use prepared infant formula within 2 hours of preparation and within 1 hour from when feeding begins.
• If you do not start to use it within 2 hours, immediately store the bottle in the fridge and use it within 24 hours.
• Throw away formula left in the bottle after feeding your baby.

Baby’s milk or infant formula does not need to be warmed before feeding, but some people like to warm their baby’s bottle. If you do decide to warm the bottle, here is advice on how to warm it safely:

In Hot Tap Water: Place bottle under hot, running tap water until the bottle reaches the desired temperature. This should take 1 to 2 minutes.

On the Stove: Heat water in a pan. Remove the pan from the heat and set the bottle in the hot water until the bottle is warm.

When heating baby's milk, always shake the liquid to even out the temperature and test on top of your hand—not the wrist (this is one of the areas least sensitive to heat)—before feeding. Milk that's "baby-ready" should feel lukewarm.

Never heat breast milk or infant formula in the microwave. Microwaves heat baby's milk and formula unevenly, which results in hot spots that can burn a baby's mouth and throat.

Keep your baby’s food safe! If you use baby food in jars, spoon small portions of food from the jar into a clean bowl. Do NOT feed your baby directly from the jar unless your baby will finish ALL the food in the jar. Feeding directly from the jar may transfer bacteria from the baby’s mouth to the jar.

Has your baby ever had a 24-hour flu? Often what seems like the flu may be a food-borne illness, also called food poisoning. Food poisoning can occur when food is not handled safely. This can be especially dangerous for your baby.

Here are some tips to keep your baby’s food safe:

• After bottle-feeding, throw out leftover breast milk or formula from the bottle.

• When using baby food jars, spoon small portions of the food into a clean bowl. If your baby is still hungry, use a clean spoon to get more from the baby food jar.

• Do NOT “double dip.” Feeding your baby directly from the jar transfers bacteria from the baby’s mouth to the jar. If your baby does not finish ALL the food in the jar, the leftover food will now have bacteria that may multiply. During the next feeding, your baby will be eating these bacteria and may become sick.

• Store baby food jars that have been opened and home-prepared baby foods in the refrigerator for no more than 3 days.

• If you are not sure baby food is safe, remember the saying, “If in doubt, throw it out.”