Nine Holiday Foods That Can Kill!

By Debra S. Holtzman

Everyone loves to eat and drink during the holiday season. But some holiday foods can be very dangerous and can even kill. The statistics are shocking! Each year in this country an estimated 76 million Americans will suffer from food-borne illness and 5,000 will die. Children, the elderly, and the immunocompromised are at the greatest risk.

Symptoms of food-borne illnesses include diarrhea, abdominal cramping, fever, blood in the stool, headache, vomiting, and severe exhaustion. Sometimes symptoms may appear as early as a half an hour after eating; other times it could take several days or weeks.

One solution is to keep close tabs on what your kids are eating. Use these tips to keep your family, friends, and pets eating safer this holiday season.

Eggnog: The best way to serve eggnog is to buy it in carton. The store-sold product is pasteurized and is safe. If you make your own eggnog, use only pasteurized eggs and not raw eggs.

Pies: Custard-type pies, including homemade pumpkin pie, need to be refrigerated. Pies at room temperature can grow dangerous bacteria.

Candy canes: Hard candies and candy canes present a choking risk to small children. Keep out of reach of small children.

Cookie dough: If you use raw eggs in the cookie dough batter, eat your homemade cookies cooked! Raw eggs can be contaminated with salmonella, a food-borne illness that can prove fatal if untreated.

Apple Cider: Pasteurization kills bacteria. If you aren't sure if a product is pasteurized, boil it for a minute. Unpasteurized products have been linked to salmonella, E. coli, and listeria – all can lead to death.

Turkey and stuffing: Cooking stuffing in a turkey or chicken should be avoided. The bird cooks both from the outside and the inside. When you stuff the bird, it reduces the heat penetration. Your best bet is to cook the turkey and stuffing separately. If you do choose to cook them together, make sure the temperature reaches at least 180 degrees Fahrenheit in the innermost part of the thigh, while the center of the stuffing inside the turkey reaches 165 degrees. Bacteria can survive in stuffing that hasn't reached that temperature.

Caesar salad: Many homemade recipes call for raw eggs in Caesar salad. Do not use raw eggs in the dressing. Use a pasteurized egg instead.

Perishable foods: Never leave perishable food at room temperature over two hours. Perishable foods include raw and cooked meat, poultry, and seafood products. Once fruits and vegetables are cut, it is safest to also limit their time at room temperature. If perishable food is left at room temperature for over two hours, bacteria can grow to harmful levels.

Alcohol: Alcohol affects children more drastically than adults, so even small amounts of alcohol can be dangerous to children. Spiked holiday punch and eggnog should be kept out of the reach of children. Remove all empty and partially empty cups as soon as possible. Store alcohol in a locked cabinet out of reach and sight of children. Don't store it in your refrigerator where a child could have easy access. Remember, children imitate adults and may drink the beverages they see adults drinking.

Bonus Tip: Pet owners beware! Chocolate is toxic, and sometimes even fatal, for animals! The toxic substance which chocolate contains is called theobromine, a compound that is similar to caffeine. Baker's chocolate (pure, unsweetened chocolate, or cocoa powder) is the most dangerous.

Debra Smiley Holtzman is an internationally recognized safety and health expert and award winning author. She has been featured on NBC's The Today Show, CNBC, MSNBC, in USA Weekend Magazine, Reader's Digest, First For Women Magazine, Parenting Magazine, Family Circle Magazine and Fit Pregnancy Magazine. Debra is also the safety expert on Discovery Health Channel’s Make Room for Baby. The Safe Baby: A Do-it-yourself Guide to Home Safety (Sentient Publications, 2005) is in bookstores everywhere. For more information, please visit www.thesafetyexpert.com.

Published in Networking Today, December 2005.