Feature Articles
Holiday food safety for older adults
Melissa Bess, Nutrition and Health Education Specialist, Camden County, University of Missouri Extension
The holidays are a time where many people are preparing and handling foods for family members or friends. A few simple steps can ensure that everyone enjoys the holidays without symptoms of food borne illness.
Some people, including those over age 65, can be more
susceptible to getting sick from bacteria in food, or
food borne illness. Everyone can keep themselves healthy
by handling food safely.
Listeriosis is a food borne illness more common in older
adults. Listeria bacteria is present in raw foods, but
may raw foods can also contaminate prepared foods if
they come into contact with each other (known as cross
contamination). In healthy people, this may cause no
symptoms, but can be very dangerous for those over age
65. Symptoms include fever, headache, tiredness, aches,
and pains, and may progress to more serious symptoms.
Older adults are more susceptible to food borne illness.
Our immune systems get weaker as we age. Stomach acid,
which helps reduce the amount of bacteria in our
intestines, also decreases as we get older. And lastly,
underlying illnesses can also affect the ability to
fight off disease.
You could become sick anytime from a few minutes to a
few weeks after eating foods with dangerous bacteria. It
depends on a variety of factors, including the type of
bacteria in the food.
To prevent food borne illness, practice the four basic
rules of food safety: clean, separate, cook, and chill.
There are easy tips to remember for each of those rules
to prevent food borne illness.
Wash hands with soap and warm water before and after
preparing foods as well as after using the bathroom,
playing with pets, or changing diapers. Wash your
cutting boards, dishes, utensils and surfaces with warm
water and soap after preparing each food item, and
before you go on to the next food. It’s best to use
paper towels while cleaning surfaces as opposed to cloth
towels. If cloth towels are used, wash them often in the
hot water cycle.
Keep meats, poultry, and seafood separate from other
foods in the shopping cart, shopping bags, and
refrigerator. Use a different cutting board for meat,
poultry, and seafood. If you cannot use separate cutting
boards, make sure the cutting board is washed with warm
water and soap after each use. Wash any surfaces that
come into contact with raw meats, poultry, or seafood
with warm water and soap. Do not use the same plate for
raw meat and cooked meat. Use a fresh plate to place any
cooked foods.
Use a clean meat thermometer to make sure meat and
poultry have reached a high enough internal temperature.
Roasts and steaks should reach at least 145°F. Whole
poultry should be cooked to 180°F for doneness in the
thigh. All poultry should reach an internal temperature
of at least 165°F; an internal temperature can be taken
in the innermost part of the thigh or wing, or the
thickest part of the breast. All three of these sites
should be checked in whole poultry. Cook ground beef,
where bacteria can spread during processing, to at least
160°F. Fish should be cooked to 145°F or until the flesh
is opaque and is easily separated with a fork. Most food
thermometers come with a guide showing this information.
Leftovers, perishable foods, or refrigerated foods
should not be left out for more than 2 hours. Never thaw
foods on the countertop; the best option is to thaw in
the refrigerator, or in cool water that is changed every
half hour. If food is to immediately be cooked,
microwave thawing is appropriate.
Seniors are also not recommended to consume the
following: raw meat, raw poultry, raw seafood, raw eggs,
raw or unpasteurized milk, raw sprouts, or raw or
unpasteurized fruit or vegetable juices. Take caution
with soft cheeses, ready-to-eat cold meat or chicken, or
pre-packaged salads. Safer options are hard cheeses,
home cooked meat or hot carryout chicken, and homemade
or fresh made salads.
By remembering and following these simple rules, you can
prevent yourself and others from developing unpleasant
food borne illnesses!
For more information contact contact Melissa Bess at 573-346-2644 or email at bessmm@missouri.edu.
Last update: Tuesday, February 19, 2008
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