Essential Principles of Safe Food Preparation for Infants & Children By Dr Deryck D. Pattron, Ph.D....

Essential Principles of Safe Food Essential Principles of Safe Food Preparation for Infants & ChildrenPreparation for Infants & ChildrenEssential Principles of Safe Food Essential Principles of Safe Food

Preparation for Infants & ChildrenPreparation for Infants & Children

ByBy

Dr Deryck D. Pattron, Ph.D.Dr Deryck D. Pattron, Ph.D.FDI, Ministry of HealthFDI, Ministry of HealthTrinidad, West IndiesTrinidad, West Indies

Dr Deryck D. Pattron, Ph.D (Jan, 2006)

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What is Food Safety?

• Food safety is the assurance that food when consumed

in its usual manner does not pose a threat to human

health and well being


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Why is Food Safety Important for Infants & Children

• Infants and children represent one of the special target

groups

• They are particularly vulnerable to infections and injury

because they have incompletely developed immune

and organ systems that are incapable of dealing with

physical, chemical and microbiological agents


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Why is Food Safety Important for Infants & Children (cont’d)

• Food if not prepared properly under strict sanitary and

hygienic conditions can be a major source of disease

causing organisms or infective agents leading to

illnesses, undue human suffering and deaths leading to

a loss of valuable human potential and increased

economic burden that perpetuates the cycle of poverty

particularly in developing countries


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Why is Food Safety Important for Infants & Children (cont’d)

• The World Health Organization estimates that every

year 1500 million episodes of diarrhoea occur

worldwide in infants and children under the age of five

and 3 million die as a result

• It is imperative that food handlers and parents

exercise due diligence i.e. do all in their power to

ensure safe food preparation for infants and children


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What can be done to Prevent Exposure of Infants & Children to

Foodborne Diseases

• Adopt, implement and follow the 4Cs.

Clean and sanitise

Cook food thoroughly

Cover and separate food

Chill and serve food at appropriate temperature.

i.e.

serve hot foods hot (60 ºC or above) and cold

foods cold (0 ºC or below)


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Foodborne Diseases (cont’d)

• Food safety begins with clean hands, counter tops,

equipment, utensils, personal hygiene and sanitary

food preparation environment

• Competence and knowhow on how to produce safe

food

• Will power to put food safety first on the agenda to

ensure health and well being for the family, community,

country, nation


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Food safety begins with clean hands!

• Wash hands and forearms thoroughly with soap and

warm water for at least 20 seconds, scrubbing the

palms, back of hands, between fingers and under nails,

rinse thoroughly and dry with an air dryer or disposable

single-use paper towel


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Foodborne Diseases (cont’d)Wash Hands AfterCoughing or sneezingLeaving any work areaEngaging in any workAfter eating, drinking, smokingNose and body touching

Handling raw unprocessed food such as poultry, beef, pork, eggs, seafood and shellfishAfter using the bathroom and changing room New tasks other than handling foodDisposing of wash water, waste water or mop waterScraping or cleaning food or soil from the equipment


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Use Safe Water

• Potable unadulterated water should be used in all food preparations

• Water should be boiled, cooled and scooped out from a covered

container prior to use in food preparations

• Remember that ice made with unsafe water will also be unsafe and

should not be used in food


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Foodborne Diseases (cont’d)Wash Fruits & Vegetables Thoroughly

• Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly with potable water

• It may be advisable to use a safe sanitizer such as chlorine (1 teaspoon to 1

gallon of water). Soak fruits and vegetables for 5-10 seconds and thoroughly

rinse before use

• Do not give fruits and vegetables to infants and children if they are grown in

contaminated soil or contain high levels of pesticides and other toxic

chemicals


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Washing, Sterilising Bottles, Utensils & Equipment

Sterilise all bottles, cups and utensils before use

Sterilizing can be achieved by boiling in water for 5

minutes or by using a sterilizing solution


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Foodborne Diseases (cont’d)Cook Food Thoroughly

• Foods such as raw milk, poultry and vegetables should be

cooked thoroughly

• All parts of the food should reach an internal temperature of 70

ºC

• Check all cooked foods using a food thermometer to ensure

complete cooking


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Avoid Storing Cooked Foods for any long Periods

Freshly prepare food for infants and children

If food is to be stored, it should be done only for the next

meal

Keep cool food cool at a temperature of 5 ºC and hot food

hot at a temperature of 60 ºC or above

Stored food should be re-heated thoroughly at least 70 ºC


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Avoid Contact Between Raw & Cooked Foods

Cover and separate raw from cooked or ready-to-eat foods

Wash hands and utensils before, during and after use to minimize cross-

contamination

Ensure that any new ingredient added to cooked food does not introduce

pathogenic organisms

If this is the case food needs to be thoroughly cooked again or thrown out


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Avoid Feeding Infants & Young Children with a Bottle

Bottles and teat feeding devices are difficult to clean and

sterilize and may harbour disease causing organisms

Use clean and boiled cups, spoons, dishes and utensils

when feeding infants and young children


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Protect Foods from Vermins & Other Animals

Food preparation areas should be free from vermins and pets

Their presence could lead to cross-contamination and pose a

serious health hazard for infants and children

Pests and pets should not be allowed in the food processing

areas or close to infants and children


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Store Toxic Chemicals In A Safe Place

Sanitizers, pesticides and disinfecting solutions should be

labelled appropriately and stored separately from food

Containers that had toxic chemicals should not be recycled

and used as storage containers for infant and children food


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Keep Food Preparation Surfaces and Premises Meticulously Clean

All food surfaces should be cleaned and sanitized before and after

food preparation

Premises should be constructed in accordance with good

manufacturing practices, good building practices and maintained

in a good state of repair to minimize cross-contamination and

adulteration of food


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Foods to be Avoided by Infants & Children

Uncooked fermented meats, such as salami

Unpasteurised milk and milk products such as raw milk,

cheese, other dairy foods

Raw or undercooked meat, particularly minced meat,

poultry, fish and shellfish


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Food to be Avoided by Infants & Children (cont’d)

Raw sprouts such as clover, radish and alfalfa

Unpasteurised fruit juices

Partially cooked eggs

Contaminated fruits and vegetables


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Infants 4-6 months should be fed breast milk

Milk can be expressed and stored in a sterile container with a

lid

Breast milk can only be safely stored in a fridge for up to 48 h

Breast milk can be safely stored in a freezer for up to three

months


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Frozen milk should be thawed in the refrigerator

To warm milk gradually by placing the bottle in hot

water

Avoid over heating the milk as this may affect the

immunological properties


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Any partially consumed milk or food should be discarded

If a breast pump is used, all parts of the breast pump should

be washed with a mild detergent and left to air-dry

Microwave ovens should not be used to warm milk, because

milk is not warmed evenly and may appear hotter that what

it really is and may destroy the immunological properties


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Infant Formula

Professional advice should be followed before using an

infant formula

Always follow instructions on the infant formula

packaging

Powder formula should be prepared fresh each day


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Infant Formula

Infant bottles containing formula should be stored in the

fridge and warmed up immediately

Any partially consumed milk should be discarded

Fresh milk should be made just before for the next

feeding


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Solid Food (commercially prepared)

Read and follow instructions on the label of

commercially prepared infant food

When opening infant food in vacuum-sealed jars listen

for a popping sound which indicates the jar’s seal was

intact

If the jar fails to pop when open, do not use the food


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Foodborne Diseases (cont’d)Solid Food (Cont’d)

Swollen or leaking jars and cans indicate that harmful

microorganisms may have grown, and should not be consumed

Once open all food should be used or stored in the refrigerator

for not more than three days

Throw out the contents of any product if it has an unusual

odour and colour


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Points to Remember when Cooking Food for Infants & Children

• Keep hot foods steaming hot

• Keep cold food refrigerated

• Cook food to the right internal temperature

• Separate raw and ready to eat food

• Keep kitchen and utensils clean

• Wash hands thoroughly and repeatedly with soap and dry on a clean towel


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Points to Remember when Packing Lunches for School or Child Care

Center

• Ensure food preparation surfaces, hands and utensils

are clean when preparing and packing the lunch

• Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly

• Lunches should be kept cool. It may be advisable to

pack something frozen such as juice box first and then

pack cold meats, chicken or eggs sandwiches between

the cold item.


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Points to Remember when Packing Lunches for School or Child Care

Center (cont’d)

• Throw out any leftovers

• Warn children against sharing drink bottles

• Warn children against buying poorly cooked food from

unsanitary and unhygienic vendors

• Warn children against buying and consuming beverages

contained in reused bottles and cans

• Warn children against buying food in bottles and cans

which have broken seals and over the expiry date


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What can Parents Teach their Children about Food Safety?

Teach children to wash and dry their hands before

touching and eating food:

After touching chicken or raw meat

After using the toilet

After blowing their nose

After playing with a pet

After touching anything dirty


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What can Parents Teach their Children about Food Safety? (cont’d)

• Do not eat food from the floor

• Do not buy food from roadside vendors

• Do not eat raw or partially cooked foods

• Do not accept food from strangers

• Encourage children to ask questions about foods they

are not comfortable with or have concerns about food

safety


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Conclusions• The World Health Organization has reported that up

to 70 % of diarrhoeal diseases may be foodborne related and

transmitted through food contamination during preparation to infants

and children

• The recommendations outlined in this presentation should provide

the basis for the preparation of safe food for one of our most

valuable and vulnerable in society-infants and children

• It is hoped that observance of these basic guidelines will contribute

to the prevention of diarrhoeal diseases that if not addressed may

lead to malnutrition and possibly death of infants and children


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References

• Pattron, D. (2005). Food Safety and Children at Carnival

Time. Ringgold GA: Ideamarketers

• Pattron, D. (2004). Food Safety. New York: Scientific

Publishers

• Pattron, D. (2004). Quality Assurance and Food Safety.

New York: Scientific Publishers

• World Health Organization. (1996). Basic Principles for

the preparation of safe food for infants and young

children. Geneva: WHO

Essential Principles of Safe Food Preparation for Infants & Children By Dr Deryck D. Pattron, Ph.D....

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