RD, LDN, CBS
Certified in Maternal and Infant Nutrition from Cornell, Angela’s mission is to help people reach their wellness goals. She also helps run a program that teaches pregnant women about how a healthy lifestyle optimizes prenatal and postnatal care.
Babies and toddlers are particularly vulnerable to foodborne illness because their immune systems are not yet fully developed. With an underdeveloped immune system, it will be harder for your baby to fight off an infection. It may also take him longer to get well. Because of this, it is imperative to follow proper food safety techniques to ensure that you are not putting your baby at risk.
There are many ways to prevent foodborne illness in babies and toddlers including:
Choking– Don’t let those pearly whites fool you. Just because your child has teeth, does not mean he is ready to handle all types of food. Babies and toddlers are at an increased risk of choking, so it’s important to provide age appropriate textures and appropriately sized foods.
Mercury– Certain types of seafood have a high mercury content, including albacore tuna, swordfish, mackerel, and tilefish. Fish is a great source of lean protein and can be included in your baby or toddler’s diet. When choosing fish, opt for low mercury choices like salmon, cod, chunk light tuna (in the can), pollock, tilapia, and catfish.
“Food Safety Tips for Young Children.” Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, date accessed July 28, 2018.
<https://www.eatright.org/homefoodsafety/safety-tips/food-poisoning/food-safety-tips-for-young-children>
“Baby Food and Infant Formula.” Food Safety.gov, date accessed July 28, 2018.
<https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/types/babyfood/index.html>