Download Food Safety Guidelines for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women

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Food Safety Guidelines
for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women
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Food Safety
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• Wash your hands frequently, especially before eating.
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Food safety is especially important for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Some guidelines to help
prevent food-borne infections include:
• Avoid eating raw or undercooked meats, poultry, fish or eggs.
• Avoid unpasteurized dairy products and soft mold cheeses such as Feta, Brie and Camembert.
• Avoid refrigerated paté, smoked seafood or meat spreads unless they are part of a cooked dish.
• Eat perishable foods before “use by” date.
• Store food in the refrigerator at 40 degrees or less; or in the freezer at 0 degrees or less.
• Discard foods that look or smell spoiled. Remember: when in doubt, throw it out
When cooking…
• Scrub fresh fruits and vegetables under running water.
• Thoroughly cook meat, poultry, fish and eggs.
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• When having hot dogs and deli meats, re-cook them to reduce risk for infection.
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• Raw chicken has a high bacterial count, be sure chicken juices do not come in contact with
other foods or kitchen surfaces.
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• Wash hands and utensils with warm water and soap after handling raw foods.
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• Clean and disinfect cutting boards and work surfaces after use.
When eating out….
• Eat only at places that look clean and follow food safety guidelines.
• Avoid salad bars that seem unclean.
• Avoid eating fresh foods displayed without refrigeration.
• Ask for food to be well cooked (meat well done, eggs firm).
Alcohol
Women should not drink any alcohol during pregnancy. Alcohol has toxic effects on the unborn baby
and can cause nutrient deficiencies. Even one to two alcoholic drinks per day can increase the risk
for miscarriage and the baby’s risk for birth defects and low birth weight. While breastfeeding, it is
best to avoid alcohol as it passes to the baby through breast milk.
Mercury
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Mercury is an environmental contaminant. Methylmercury is the toxic type of mercury found in water,
plants and animals. Fish accumulate this form of mercury by absorbing it from water and food.
Usually, larger fish contain more mercury than small fish.
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Eating contaminated fish can be dangerous, especially for pregnant and breastfeeding women. High
levels of mercury may be harmful to the unborn baby and nursing infant causing mental retardation,
brain and kidney damage. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should be careful to avoid fish
or shellfish contaminated with mercury. Some helpful tips include:
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• Completely avoid eating swordfish, tilefish, shark and king mackerel as they contain high levels
of mercury.
• Limit intake of albacore (white) tuna, to no more than one serving per week (6 ounces).
• Choose canned chunk light tuna, which contains less mercury than albacore tuna.
• Include other fish and shellfish in your diet (up to 12 ounces per week). Small ocean fish,
pollock, salmon, catfish, and shellfish are good choices.
Caffeine
Caffeine is a stimulant found in some foods and beverages. Moderation is the key. Caffeine may
contribute to dehydration because it is a natural diuretic, which means it causes increased urination.
Caffeine also passes through breast milk to the nursing infant.
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• Limit caffeine-containing foods and beverages such as coffee, teas, colas, chocolate, Red Bull
and other energy drinks.
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• Try to limit to one caffeinated beverage per day.
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Artificial Sweeteners
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The following sweeteners have been well studied and deemed safe for use in pregnancy and
breastfeeding:
• Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet)
• Acesulfame K (Sunett, Sweet & Safe, Sweet One)
• Sucralose (Splenda).
There is no scientific evidence that shows these artificial sweeteners cause harm to the unborn
baby or mother. Pregnant and breastfeeding women can safely use these artificial sweeteners in
reasonable amounts.
SDNUT0405 • Rev. 06/05