Test Your Knowledge

The last two of the nine key recommendations for the general population deal with alcoholic beverages and general food safety. A brief overview of these guidelines includes:

Alcoholic Beverages

• People who choose to drink alcoholic beverages should do so sensibly and in moderation. Moderation is defined as one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.
  
  
• Alcoholic beverages should not be consumed by some people, including those who cannot restrict their alcohol intake, individuals with a family medical history of alcoholism, women of childbearing age who may become pregnant, pregnant and lactating women, children and adolescents, individuals taking medications that can interact with alcohol and those with specific medical conditions.
  
  
• Alcoholic beverages should be avoided when engaging in activities that require attention, skill or coordination, such as driving or operating machinery.

The guidelines recommend drinking alcohol in moderation, if at all. Alcoholic beverages are a source of calories with few or no nutrients. They can be harmful and hazardous to one's health when consumed in excess. One drink is defined as 12 ounces (355 ml) of beer, 5 ounces (148 ml) of wine or 1.5 ounces (44 ml) of 80-proof distilled spirits.

Food Safety

To avoid microbial foodborne illness:

• Wash hands, food contact surfaces, and fruits and vegetables. Meat and poultry should not be washed or rinsed.
  
  
• Separate raw, cooked, and ready-to-eat foods while shopping, preparing, or storing foods.
  
  
• Cook foods to a safe temperature to kill microorganisms.
  
  
• Refrigerate perishable food promptly and defrost foods properly.
  
  
• Avoid raw (unpasteurized) milk or any products made from unpasteurized milk, raw or partially cooked eggs. Also, avoid foods containing raw eggs, raw or partly cooked meat and poultry, unpasteurized juices, and raw sprouts.

It is important to keep foods safe to eat. Many products contain safety instructions on the package, such as “Keep Refrigerated.” When unsure about the safety of a food or packaged item, throw the item out. Eating a small portion of food contaminated with harmful bacteria or germs can make a person sick.

Make sure to wash hands properly prior to preparing and handling food. Pregnant women, young children, older adults and people with a weakened immune system are at high risk for foodborne illnesses. To avoid foodborne illnesses caused by bacteria, viruses, toxins, parasites and other contaminants present in foods, cook, reheat and store foods at safe temperatures.

High-risk food handling also increases the chance of serious and life-threatening foodborne illnesses. For example, unsafe food handling and preparation may allow pathogens such as salmonella, Clostridium and staphylococcus to enter the bloodstream. These pathogens commonly cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea and in some cases have been linked to heart conditions such as heart failure. They may also increase the risk of complications in patients with existing heart problems.

Dietary recommendations include:

• Infants and young children, pregnant women, older adults, and those with compromised immune systems should not eat or drink unpasteurized milk or any products made from unpasteurized milk. They also should avoid foods containing raw or partially cooked eggs, raw or undercooked meat and poultry, raw or undercooked fish or shellfish, unpasteurized juices, and raw sprouts.
  
  
• Pregnant women, older adults, and people with compromised immune systems should only eat certain deli meats and steaming hot frankfurters.