Last December, two children were hospitalized due to E.coli poisoning. Without any particular family connection, the young children had also both consumed morbier, a raw milk cheese which was contaminated by bacteria. Escherichia coli. As reported by the father of the 7-year-old girl BFM TV, “She still has not recovered the functions of her kidneys. The chances are more and more slim that she will get them back.”
Likewise, for the 18 month old baby, the damage caused by the bacteria is numerous. His mother, who spoke in an interview given to BFM TV, revealed that her little daughter had undergone dialysis for three weeks and then was placed in an artificial coma for 25 days. She is awake today, but suffers from kidney pain and one left hand is paralyzed.
But then, what foods represent a risk of contamination for children? In an interview given to Current wifevirologist Océane Sorel, also known as @thefrenchvirologist on social networks, returned to foods not recommended for young children.
What foods are not recommended for young children?
Certain bacteria that can be transmitted through food such as Escherichia coli, salmonella or listeria can be dangerous. So, to avoid putting your child at risk, certain foods should be avoided. It is :
- Raw milk and raw milk cheeses. Raw milk, that is to say not pasteurized or heated, is a natural milk which is placed on the market without prior heat treatment. It may therefore contain particularly risky bacteria such as E.Coli which is very dangerous. This is why children under 10 are advised not to consume it. As ANSES explains, “the main sources of danger are soft cheeses with a bloomy rind (such as Camembert, Brie or Crottin) and short-ripened, uncooked pressed cheeses (such as Morbier, Reblochon or Saint-Nectaire) ”. Furthermore, according to virologist Océane Sorel, cooked cheeses such as “the county are authorized, because the dough has been cooked”.
- Raw meat. “According to the new recommendations, raw meat and fish are not recommended for children under 10 years old”, declares the expert. It is therefore better to avoid giving your child tartare or undercooked meat, at the risk of developing bacteria. E.coli.
- Raw cold meats. Raw meats are likely to transmit E.coli bacteria. This is why its consumption is at avoid until age 10.
- Raw fish. Like raw meat, the consumption of raw fish is not recommended until the age of 10. This may be the cause of food poisoning linked to the E.coli bacteria.
- Raw eggs. Fried, boiled or boiled eggs should be avoided by children. Indeed, when the yolk of the egg remains runny, this means that it is not cooked enough, and that it can therefore carry bacteria such as salmonella. As reminds the virologist, “THE raw eggs are not just eggs in their shells that have just been cracked”. They should be avoided until the age of 5.
- Homemade chocolate mousse. Although children love it, homemade chocolate mousse is not recommended for them until the age of 5. Indeed, as the virologist explains, it contains raw eggs which can be the cause of contamination due to bacteria such as salmonella.
- Homemade mayonnaise. Same problem for homemade mayonnaise: as delicious as it may be, it is still not recommended for children under 5 years old, because it contains raw eggs which can carry bacteria such as salmonella.
- Honey. “Honey is not recommended for children under one year old due to the risk of infant botulism,” explains the expert. According to her, honey contains spores of bacteria called Clostridium botulinum and which will produce a toxin in the baby’s intestine. “This then exposes it to a risk of botulism which could lead to paralysis or even death.”
Attention, as highlighted in a fact sheet published by the Ministry of Agriculture, beyond 5 yearsthe risk still exists with regard to cheeses made from raw milk, but it is decreasing as the child’s immune system becomes more mature over the years.
Sources:
- ITW Virologist – Thefrenchvirologist
- Raw milk cheeses: what health risks and how to better prevent them? – Handles
- Rhône: a second child, aged 18 months, contaminated by E.coli bacteria – BFM TV
- Consumption of cheeses made from raw milk: reminder of the precautions to take, Ministry of Agriculture