There is no vaccine to protect against food poisoning caused by salmonellosis. These are therefore hygiene measures that will prevent contamination from food and animal faeces. From producer to consumer, everyone is concerned.

People with more fragile health should make sure to follow hygiene advice. Health Canada has also produced guides for them. For more information, see the Sites of Interest section below.

Hand hygiene

• Wash your hands frequently.
• When preparing a meal, wash your hands before switching from raw to cooked food.

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Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services⁶

For food

• All foods of animal origin can transmit salmonella. Avoid eating raw the eggs (and products that contain it), volaille and the meat;
• Made cook these foods until they reach the internal temperature recommended (refer to the cooking temperature table provided by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, in the Sites of Interest section);
• When preparation food :
• Utensils used for preparing uncooked foods should also be washed thoroughly before using them for other foods;
• Surfaces and counters must be cleaned well: the ideal is to prepare meats on a separate surface;
• Uncooked meats should not come in contact with cooked or ready-to-eat foods.
• Le fridge should have a temperature of 4,4 ° C (40 ° F) or less, and the freezer, -17.8 ° C (0 ° F) or less;
• We must always wash the fruits and vegetables cool with running water before eating them;
• Le Milk and dairy products unpasteurized (such as raw milk cheeses) can also transmit salmonella. It is advisable to avoid them if you are at risk (pregnant women, young children, sick or elderly people).

Remarks

• It is allowed to use raw milk for cheese production while respecting health standards because the raw milk retains its natural flora and makes it possible to manufacture a variety of high-end products;
• Since 1991, the sale of raw milk has been strictly prohibited in Canada by the Food and Drug Regulations.
• Ideally, one should not prepare food for others if one has salmonellosis, until the diarrhea is gone;
• Frequent washing of reusable bags used to transport food.

For pets

• Hands should always be washed after changing the litter box of a animal or have been in contact with his feces, even if he is healthy (be extra careful with birds and reptiles);
• Better not to buy a bird or a reptile from one child. People with weak immune defenses due to illness should also refrain from having them;
• At the farm or the family zoo : wash children’s hands immediately if they have touched animals (especially birds and reptiles);
• People who have a reptile must follow the appropriate precautionary measures:
• Wash hands after handling reptiles or their cages;
• Do not allow reptiles to roam freely in the house;
• Keep reptiles out of the kitchen or other food preparation area.

Other tips:

• Do not have reptiles in the house if there are young children;
• Eliminate reptiles if you are expecting a baby;
• Do not keep reptiles in a children’s care center.