It’s important to follow safe food handling practices in the kitchen to avoid food poisoning. Two very serious conditions are listeriosis and toxoplasmosis. Listeriosis can cause miscarriage or stillbirth, or make the unborn baby sick. Toxoplasmosis can damage a baby’s immune system. Both conditions are spread by raw foods (fish, meats, milk products and fruits and vegetables) and are easily mistaken for the stomach flu.
Clean: wash hands, utensils and surfaces with hot soapy water before, during and after preparing foods. Sanitize countertops cutting boards and utensils with a mild bleach and water solution (1 tsp bleach to 3 cups water). Wash all vegetables and fruit thoroughly before eating or cooking them.
Separate: keep raw meats and poultry away from other foods during storage and preparation. Use separate cutting boards for raw meats and for vegetables. Always keep foods covered.
Cook: or dry food thoroughly. Prepare foods quickly and serve right away so foods do not linger at room temperatures where bacteria can grow.
Chill: refrigerate or freeze foods that can spoil at room temperature. Make sure the fridge is set at a temperature of 4oC and keep the freezer at -18oC.
Adapted with the permission of the Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, 2010©