Are you putting yourself / guests at risk?

While everyone should take care to handle food safely, some people need to take more care. If you have low immunity, your immune system is weaker than usual and you are at higher risk of getting infections, including those carried by food. If you do get ill from what you eat, your illness may also be more serious.

Or you might have a food allergy, and consuming certain foods could have severe or even life-threatening consequences.

While there is no such thing as foods that are guaranteed to be safe for everyone, there is plenty of information to guide those more at risk to identify high-risk foods and select safer options.

Many things can make a person more vulnerable to foodborne illnesses. Having advanced cancer or undergoing chemotherapy, for example, can suppress the immune system. Low stomach-acid levels, whether caused by a stomach operation or medication, also place someone at higher risk of getting a foodborne illness as stomach acid normally provides a defence by killing many pathogens. Pregnant women, premature babies and sick children are part of the at-risk group too. If in doubt, your doctor will be able to help assess whether you have low immunity.

At-risk people are advised not to eat some foods, such as foods containing raw eggs or uncooked fish, but plenty of others can be safely enjoyed as long as extra caution is exercised when preparing and consuming them. Yoghurt for example should be eaten within two days of opening, so buying single-serve pots may be better than large containers. Eating stuffing from a chicken or turkey is not advisable if it is cooked in the bird, but can be eaten when cooked in a separate dish and eaten hot.

If you have food allergies and are invited out to dinner, let your hosts know what you need to avoid. If you’re cooking for someone with an allergy, take special care as even minute traces can cause severe reactions in some people.