i read that pregnant women are at greater risk for food-borne illness. what can i do to protect myself and my baby?
everyone's at risk but those at greater risk are infants young children pregnant women and their unborn babies older adults and people with weakened immune systems (for example those with hiv/aids cancer diabetes kidney disease and transplant patients). some people may become ill after ingesting only a few harmful bacteria. others may remain symptom-free after ingesting thousands. to prevent food-borne illness keep these key actions in mind: wash your hands. keep raw meats and ready-to-eat foods -- like salads -- separated during preparation. cook foods to the proper temperature by using a food thermometer. refrigerate foods promptly and reheat leftovers to 165 degrees fahrenheit.