Archive for the ‘Health & Food Safety’ Category
Flexibility of Food Patterns for Varied Food Preferences
Thursday, February 11th, 2010Estimated amounts of calories needed
Thursday, February 11th, 2010This guideline from the USDA website explains how to estimate the number of calories that we need.
Estimated amounts of calories needed to maintain energy balance for various gender and age groups at three different levels of physical activity. The estimates are rounded to the nearest 200 calories and were determined using the Institute of Medicine equation.
Activity Level b,c,d |
||||
Gender |
Age (years) |
Sedentaryb |
Moderately Activec |
Actived |
Child |
2-3 |
1,000 |
1,000-1,400e |
1,000-1,400e |
Female |
4-8
|
1,200
|
1,400-1,600
|
1,400-1,800
|
Male |
4-8
|
1,400 1,800
|
1,400-1,600 1,800-2,200
|
1,600-2,000 2,000-2,600
|
a These levels are based on Estimated Energy Requirements (EER) from the Institute of Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes macronutrients report, 2002, calculated by gender, age, and activity level for reference-sized individuals. “Reference size,” as determined by IOM, is based on median height and weight for ages up to age 18 years of age and median height and weight for that height to give a BMI of 21.5 for adult females and 22.5 for adult males.
b Sedentary means a lifestyle that includes only the light physical activity associated with typical day-to-day life.
Pregnant Women and Food Safety
Tuesday, December 1st, 2009Festive Times
The holiday season is a very exciting time of year filled with parties, family gatherings and lots of food. From turkey and dressing to every type of dessert imaginable, there is never a time of year when food is more of a focus. While it is important that everyone keep food safety in mind during this season, it is especially important for pregnant women to do so.
Pregnant women should keep the following food safety tips in mind as they celebrate the holidays:
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially when
- Touching raw meat, raw eggs or unwashed vegetables
- Preparing food
- Before eating or drinking
- Try not to share forks, cups, or food with young children.
- Wash your hands often when around children. Their saliva and urine might contain a virus that could be harmful for you and your unborn baby.
- Cook your meat until it’s well done. The best way to tell that food has been cooked is to use a food thermometer.
- Do not eat hot dogs, luncheon meats, or deli meats, unless they are reheated until steaming hot. These undercooked meats and processed meats might contain harmful bacteria.
- Avoid unpasteurized (raw) milk and foods made from it. Do not eat soft cheeses such as feta, brie, and queso fresco unless they have labels that say they are pasteurized.
- Unpasteurized products can contain harmful bacteria and can cause infections such as Listeriosis which can be very harmful for both you the mother and your unborn baby.
- Be aware of holiday beverages. Watch out for alcohol-containing holiday punches and eggnogs. Avoid eggnog entirely unless you know it was made with pasteurized eggs and contains no alcohol.
- To learn more about food safety and/or infections during pregnancy contact CDC-INFO at cdcinfo@cdc.gov or 1-800-CDC-INFO 24/7. Or, you may visit CDC’s Pregnancy Information gateway or FoodSafety.gov
Homemade Ice Cream & Risk of Salmonella Infection
Friday, November 20th, 2009Risk of Salmonella Infection
The information here is intended to make one aware of the risk of using raw eggs in products that we consume. This includes making ice cream at home with eggs as an ingredient. Other products include salad dressings and mayonnaise. There are also resources that suggest ways to be safe, eat sensibly and enjoy quality living. Do read on:Every year homemade ice cream causes several outbreaks of Salmonella infection with up to several hundred victims at church picnics, family reunions, and other large gatherings. From 1996 to 2000 (the latest year for which surveillance was completed), 17 outbreaks resulting in more than 500 illnesses in the United States were traced to Salmonella bacteria in homemade ice cream, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The ingredient responsible for the outbreaks is raw or undercooked eggs.
A person infected with Salmonella Enteritidis (SE), the strain of Salmonella found most frequently in raw eggs, usually has fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps beginning 12 to 72 hours after eating or drinking a contaminated food or beverage. The infection generally lasts 4 to 7 days, and most people recover without any treatment.
However, for those at high risk–infants, older people, pregnant women, and people with a weakened immune system–it can be life-threatening.
Egg Substitutes
You can still enjoy homemade ice cream without the risk of Salmonella infection by substituting a pasteurized egg product, egg substitute, or pasteurized shell eggs for the raw eggs in your favorite recipe. Egg products are eggs that have been removed from their shells and pasteurized. They may be liquid, frozen, or dried whole eggs, whites, yolks, or blends of egg and other ingredients. Egg products are not widely available at retail; they are predominantly used in institutional food service.
Egg substitutes, which may be liquid or frozen, contain only the white of the egg, the part that doesn’t have fat and cholesterol, and are readily available at most supermarkets. Pasteurized shell eggs are also available from a growing number of retailers; you’ll find them located next to the regular shell eggs. These eggs look and taste just like regular shell eggs, though the white may be slightly cloudy, and they are nutritionally equivalent to their unpasteurized counterparts.
Safety Options
Other options for safe homemade ice cream are to use a cooked egg base or prepare it without eggs. The American Egg Board has a recipe for homemade ice cream made with eggs that are heated to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit and then cooled. This temperature will kill Salmonella, if present. The recipe is available on AEB’s website, www.aeb.org. There you will also find recipes for other foods traditionally made with raw or undercooked eggs, such as mayonnaise, Caesar salad dressing, and eggnog. There are also many recipes for homemade ice cream available in cookbooks and from a variety of other sources that do not contain egg ingredients.
One such recipe is available from the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension using the following link: http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciq-homemade-ice-cream.shtml.
Even when using pasteurized products, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) advise consumers to start with a cooked base for optimal safety, especially if serving people at high risk. Additionally, you should ensure that the dairy ingredients you use in homemade ice cream, such as milk and cream, are pasteurized.
Other products containing egg
Commercially manufactured ice cream, mayonnaise, Caesar salad dressing, and eggnog are typically made with pasteurized eggs or egg products or the final product is pasteurized.
FDA continues to work with federal and state agencies, the egg industry, and the scientific community to eliminate egg-associated SE illnesses.
Resources:
FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
(888) SAFEFOOD (723-3366)
www.cfsan.fda.gov
USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline
(888) MPHotline (674-6854)
Milk, Cheese, and Dairy Products
Friday, November 20th, 2009Milk, Cheese, and Dairy Products
Myths About Raw Milk
Pasteurization is a process that kills harmful bacteria by heating milk to a specific temperature for a set period of time. Some people continue to believe that pasteurization harms milk and that raw milk is a safe healthier alternative.
Raw milk can harbor dangerous microorganisms, such as salmonella, e. coli, and listeria, that can pose serious health risks to you and your family.
Here are some common myths and proven facts about milk and pasteurization:
- Raw milk DOES NOT kill dangerous pathogens by itself.
- Pasteurizing milk DOES NOT cause lactose intolerance and allergic reactions. Both raw milk and pasteurized milk can cause allergic reactions in people sensitive to milk proteins.
- Pasteurization DOES NOT reduce milk’s nutritional value.
- Pasteurization DOES NOT mean that it is safe to leave milk out of the refrigerator for extended time,particularly after it has been opened.
- Pasteurization DOES kill harmful bacteria.
- Pasteurization DOES save lives.
Tips for Fresh Produce Safety
Friday, November 20th, 2009Buying Tips
Purchase fruit and vegetables that are not bruised or damaged.
When selecting fresh-cut produce – such as a half a watermelon or bagged salad greens – choose items that are refrigerated or surrounded by ice.
Bag fresh fruits and vegetables separately from meat, poultry and seafood products.
Remember that the drips from the meat products may contain bacteria which will seep into your other purchases.
Storage Tips