No smoked fish during pregnancy

Pollutant Encyclopedia for Food Published: Pregnant women should abstain from smoked fish

19/02/2012

During pregnancy, mothers should refrain from consuming smoked fish due to the presence of Listeria. Also raw milk cheese, cheese rind and raw meat are to be avoided as far as possible for the same reason. The risks associated with individual foods are contained in the new information booklet „The pollutant dictionary - undesirable in food“ of the "AID information service" nutrition, agriculture, consumer protection e. V. read.

Listeria (the cause of listeriosis) is a health risk that should not be underestimated, especially for pregnant women and persons with weakened immune systems. Smoked fish should therefore be avoided altogether by pregnant women, according to the warning in the aid information booklet. Numerous risk factors of food intake such as bisphenol A strains, salmonella, heavy metal contamination, pesticides or neutrosamines are discussed in the pollutant encyclopaedia.

Listeriosis dangerous for pregnant women and immunocompromised persons
According to the pollutant encyclopedia, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems should not only give up raw fish, but also smoked or marinated fish because of the listeriosis risk. Listeriosis is usually rather harmless with symptoms like headache, fever, nausea and vomiting. In immunocompromised individuals, however, the Listeria represent a significant health risk because they are threatened by a listeriosis with a much more severe course. Frequently, several organs are attacked by the bacteria and may cause patients a life-threatening meningitis or septicemia. In the case of women in pregnancy, on the one hand, the risk of infection is significantly increased and, on the other hand, there are serious health consequences for the unborn child. In the course of listeriosis, the probability of an early or stillbirth rises by a massive. Also, the risk of developing impairments in the unborn child increases.

Consume vacuum packed food in a timely manner
In addition to the fish, the pollutant encyclopedia, for example, called raw milk cheese and cheese rind as possible sources of Listeria and warns pregnant women therefore before consumption. Another indication of nutrition during pregnancy refers to the consumption of vacuum packed food. According to the aid information booklet, pregnant women should consume the relevant food as soon as possible after purchase and well before the expiration of the specified best before date, as these can also develop into harmful germs. Also persons with weakened immune defense should therefore consider these references. However, heat-treated foods should be consumed with respect to Listeria without concern since the bacteria die quickly in heat.

Pollutant Lexicon lists numerous risk factors of the diet
The pollutant encyclopaedia identifies a number of possible risk factors in the diet, with the list ranging from A such as acrylamide to Z like zearalenone. Also, some basic rules on nutrition and hygiene in the kitchen are presented in an understandable way. For example, readers learn how to clean raw food properly, why it is best to store and process it separately, or how to properly refrigerate and heat foods. Also notes on special preparation methods are summarized here. For example, the aid information booklet points out that grilling (with charcoal or open flames) can produce special polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that represent a health risk that should not be underestimated. Therefore, alga shells should always be used to minimize the load, according to the experts. Also, gas or electric grills could avoid this risk, however, no dripping grease should be allowed to get onto the heating coils, as otherwise the development of the carcinogenic PAHs would also be favored. (Fp)

Read more about the topic:
Caesarean section increases diabetes-type-I risk
Addictive due to stress during pregnancy
Pregnancy: Smoking harms children for years
Recall of smoked salmon for Listeria

Picture: JMG