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The Vulnerable
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The Vulnerable
Unpleasant at the best of times, food poisoning can be more dangerous for people with low or compromised immune systems.
The following groups of people should take care when eating certain foods:
Infants and children under 5 years old
Infants and young children under five years old are especially vulnerable to foodborne illness because their immune systems are not fully developed; their stomachs also produce less acid making it easier for harmful germs to cause harm in their bodies.
The following foods should not be fed to young children:
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Raw or undercooked meat (particularly minced meat), poultry, fish and shellfish
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Raw sprouts - such as alfalfa, clover and radish
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Uncooked fermented meats, such as salami - check the label: ‘heat treated’ or ‘cooked’ products are safe, DO NOT feed young children products labelled ‘not heat treated’
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Unpasteurised milk and products made from unpasteurised milk - such as raw-milk, cheese and other dairy foods made from unpasteurised milk
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Unpasteurised fruit juices – except if you have freshly squeezed yourself - to determine if a juice is pasteurised, check the label or contact the manufacturer - ll freshly squeezed juices are unpasteurised.
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DO NOT feed honey to infants aged under 12 months because of the risk of botulism
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Raw eggs to prevent salmonella poisoning, cook all eggs until the white is completely set and yolk begins to thicken, and DO NOT use uncooked products containing raw eggs such as home-made ice cream or mayonnaise.
Pregnant women
Some food poisoning bacteria can cause miscarriages in pregnant women, even if the mother isn't showing any symptoms of food poisoning.
Avoid the following foods if you are pregnant:
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cold meats from delicatessen counters and sandwich bars, and packaged, sliced ready-to-eat meats
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cold cooked ready-to-eat chicken (whole, portions, or diced)
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pre-prepared or pre-packaged fruit or vegetable salads, including those from buffets and salad bars
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raw or light cooked sprouts
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chilled seafood such as raw oysters, sashimi and sushi, smoked ready-to-eat seafood and cooked ready-to-eat prawns
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soft, semi-soft and surface-ripened cheeses such as brie, camembert, ricotta, blue and feta
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refrigerated paté or meat spreads
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soft serve ice cream and fried ice cream
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unpasteurised dairy products
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any food that contains raw eggs, such as homemade mayonnaise, chocolate mousse, aioli
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stuffing from poultry - unless it has been cooked separately - eat while still hot
For information on what foods can be eaten while pregnant, go to
People over 70 years of age
Generally, after the age of 70 people can be more vulnerable to food poisoning because:
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their immune systems get weaker
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their stomachs have less acid to protect against bacteria
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the impact of symptoms can be more severe, and
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recovery takes longer.
People in this age group should avoid the same foods as those who are pregnant.
People with compromised immune systems
Unpleasant at the best of times, food poisoning can be more dangerous for people with low or compromised immune systems.
Low or compromised immune systems can result from some health conditions, illnesses and some medicines.
Follow these guidelines to help prevent food poisoning occurring:
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Eat only freshly cooked food and well-washed freshly prepared fruit and vegetables
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Leftovers can be eaten if they are refrigerated promptly and kept no longer than 1 day
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DO NOT eat food if there’s any doubt about its hygienic preparation or storage
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The following ready to eat foods should be avoided altogether, unless thoroughly cooked and eaten while hot:
- soft cheese such as brie, blue, fetta, camembert and ricotta
- cold chicken or turkey particularly if sliced or diced as used in chicken sandwiches
- cold meats, pate and meat spreads
- pre-prepared or packaged salads greens and salads
- raw seafood such as oysters, sashimi, smoked salmon or oysters (canned oysters are safe),
sushi
- unpasteurised dairy products including raw goats milk and Roquefort cheese
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Cook fresh shellfish correctly as follows:
- for shellfish in the shell, either: boil until the shell opens and continue boiling for five minutes, or
steam until the shells open and then continue cooking for another nine minutes
- DO NOT eat shellfish that do not open during cooking
- boil oyster meat for at least three minutes, or fry them in oil for at least ten minutes