USDA Food Safety Guide says pregnant women are immunocompromised and should avoid raw foods, as they may harbor bacteria. Some bacteria may even infect the fetus if the mom feels fine.
The article specifically mentions
E. Coli Campylobacter jejuniOther food safety guides (and FDA) - for pregnant women and children) say foods most likely to contain harmful bacteria or viruses fall
into two categories:
- Uncooked fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Some animal products such as;
- unpasteurized (raw) milk;
- soft cheeses made with raw milk;
- and raw or undercooked eggs,
- raw meat,
- raw poultry,
- raw fish,
- raw shellfish and their juices;
- luncheon meats and deli-type salads (without added preservatives) prepared onsite in a deli-type establishment.
- Honey can cause botulism, a rare but very serious disease, in babies under 12 months old. Do not give them honey or pacifiers dipped in or filled with honey.
This is a problem, because there are many rindless raw fruits which my pregnant wife sometimes has a craving for. Such as blueberries and strawberries.
I'm looking for a way to minimize her risk.
Vinegar has many uses, and has historically been used for cleaning.
White Vinegar (5% acid) can act as a disinfectant for e. coli, listeria, campylobacter and salmonella.
After reading several studies and guides about how raw fruits and produce are washed indicate that vinegar can be used as a commercial wash.
I will either soak the fruits in white vinegar, or use a spray bottle and spray vinegar on the fruits. If soaking, I may reuse the vinegar for several soaks before retiring it (properly labelled) for other uses.
After leaving it for a few minutes, I will then soak the fruits in water, with some baking soda added for 15-30minutes. This has the added benefit of getting rid of any potential pesticides.
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