Irish Offer Ten Step Plan to Nail E. sakazakii
Vhi, the Irish private health insurer, and Safefood, Ireland's food safety promotion board, are promoting a new 10 step procedure to keep baby bottles safe from Enterobacter sakazakii.
Dr Cliodhna Foley-Nolan, Director, Human Health and Nutrition at Safefood warned that powdered infant formula is not a sterile product and has the potential to cause illness if not prepared properly. In rare circumstances, powdered infant formula can contain the bacterium Enterobacter sakazakii (E.sakazakii) and other harmful bacteria. These bacteria can cause illness in infants. Babies under 2 months are most at risk. However, making up the formula using water that is above 70°C will kill E.sakazakii and any other bacteria like salmonella that may be present, said Dr Foley-Nolan
Vhi and Safefood say if parents and carers follow the 30-minute rule any harmful bacteria will be killed. The 30 minute rule means that after boiling fresh water, the water is left to cool for 30 minutes before adding the powdered infant formula.
Here are the 10-steps on making baby’s bottles safely are:
- Boil water
- Leave to cool for 30 minutes but no longer
- Clean surfaces, wash hands
- Read the instructions on the formula’s label carefully
- Pour the boiled water into sterile bottle
- Add formula using scoop provided
- Shake well
- Cool quickly
- Check temperature is cool enough for baby
- Throw away any unused feed after 2 hours.
For more, go here.
