During a pregnancy it is important to be aware of food borne bacterias that can cause illnesses that can harm you and your baby. In addition to your increased vulnerability during pregnancy, there may be other people in your home that are susceptible. Children, the elderly, or people with weakened immune systems can also be severely affected by food borne illness. For your health, the health of your baby, and your entire family, develop these safe food-handling habits.

Keep everything clean - It is important to wash your hands, surfaces and utensils with warm soapy water. This is important before and after handling food and when going from one type of food to the next. Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly and cut away damaged or bruised areas where bacterial can thrive. Change dish cloths every day or multiple times a day if handling meats or other products especially susceptible to bacteria.

Don't cross contaminate - Separate raw meat, poultry, and seafood from ready-to-eat foods in your grocery shopping cart, refrigerator, and while preparing and handling foods at home. Consider placing these raw foods inside plastic bags in your grocery shopping cart to keep the juices contained.

Make sure everything is properly cooked - Heating foods to the right temperature for the proper amount of time will kill harmful bacteria that cause food borne illness. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature. Reheat leftovers to 165° F and make sure sauces, soups and gravies are brought to a boil.

Refrigerate - Don't leave food out at room temperature for more than two hours. On a hot day (90° F or higher), reduce this time to one hour. Your refrigerator should be at 40° F or below and the freezer unit at 0° F. Don't pack the refrigerator too full with food. Cold air must circulate to keep food safe. It is best to defrost food in the refrigerator or in cold water. If you use the microwave, cook it immediately after it's defrosted.