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Food poisoning: what what can I do to make sure that my child avoids it?

Most people do not realise that just about every stomach ache or bout of diarrhoea that their child has is likely the result of food poisoning. Though most often food poisoning is minor and goes away quickly, when cause by certain bacteria such as salmonella, it can be a dangerous illness.

Bacteria that are present in food can double every 20 minutes when at room temperature. For an adult, ingesting food that has a few thousand bacteria can make them significantly ill. A child, being much smaller, can become very ill with much less.

The bacterium that causes food poisoning can live for several hours on a kitchen counter or a utensil. The key to keeping food poisoning at bay is to keep things clean.

•    Always wash anything that touches raw meat or eggs.
•    Never use a plate that has had raw meat on it until it is washed.
•    Wash hand and dish towels often.
•    Sterilise kitchen sponges by putting them in the dishwasher. (It’s recommended to replace kitchen sponges every few weeks.)
•    Keep your refrigerator no warmer than 4 degrees Celsius (40 degrees Fahrenheit).
•    Cook meats thoroughly.

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