Transcript Slide 1

To Your Health!
Food Safety for Seniors
This presentation will cover…
Why some people face special
risks
Microorganisms of concern
How to minimize risk of
foodborne illness
Estimates of Foodborne Illness
in the U.S. each Year:
76 million people
become ill
5,000 people die
Some People Face Special Risks
A variety of people may
face these special risks:
• Pregnant women
• Very young children
• People with chronic illnesses
or weakened immune systems
• Older adults
Why Older Adults?
Immune systems weaken
with age
Stomach acid decreases as
you get older
Diseases/illnesses may
further weaken the body
Recognizing Foodborne Illness
Can’t see, smell or taste bacteria in
food
Often takes 1 to 3 days to cause
illness, but can take up to 6 weeks
Recognizing Foodborne Illness
If you become ill after eating
out, call your local health
department so they can
investigate.
By following the basic rules of
food safety, you can help
prevent foodborne illness for
yourself and others.
3 Pathogens of Special
Importance to Older Adults
Escherichia coli O157:H7
Salmonella
Listeria monocytogenes
E. coli
 Lives in intestines of healthy cattle
and other ruminant animals.
 Typical food sources:
• Undercooked ground meats,
• Contaminated produce served raw
(lettuce, spinach, sprouts),
• Unpasteurized milk
Salmonella
Salmonella outbreaks have been
associated with:
• Raw and undercooked eggs
• Undercooked poultry and meat
• Raw milk
• Produce and unpasteurized juice
 Why eggs?
• Salmonella can grow both inside the egg and
on the outside of shells
Listeria
 Bacteria widespread in nature, soil, water
 Survives and grows at refrigerator
temperatures!
 Risky Foods: Refrigerated Ready-to-Eat foods
(i.e. deli salads, lunch meats, hot dogs, soft
cheeses made with raw milk)
Listeria
 Almost all cases: elderly, pregnant women
and immune-compromised persons
 Mild gastrointestinal symptoms: 8-48 hrs
 Invasive illness: 2-6 weeks following
exposure
• Fever, muscle aches, headache, loss of
balance, bacteremia, meningitis, encephalitis
 20-30% death rate
Food Safety at Home
Follow four basic rules:
Clean
Separate
Cook
Chill
Avoid high risk foods
Food Safety at Home
CLEAN
Wash your hands frequently!
Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils,
and counter tops with warm soapy
water after preparing each food and
before going to next one.
For added protection, spray counter
tops and cutting boards with kitchen
sanitizer (1 tsp bleach to 1 quart water)
Clean Fresh Produce
Rinse raw produce in clean
running water.
Scrub rinds of melons under
running water before cutting.
Change Dish Cloths/Towels Often
Wet or damp dishcloths and
sponges are ideal places for
bacterial growth.
Use paper towels or disposable
cloths to clean up kitchen surfaces
after working with raw meat, fish or
poultry.
Wash dish cloths regularly.
Avoid sponges, if possible or
sanitize often.
Food Safety at Home
SEPARATE
Separate raw meat, poultry and
seafood from other foods in your
grocery shopping cart and your
refrigerator.
If possible, use different cutting
boards for raw meats and readyto-each foods.
Place cooked food on a clean
plate.
Food Safety at Home
COOK
Use a clean food thermometer to
make sure meat, poultry,
casseroles and other foods are
properly cooked all the way
through.
Cook roasts and steaks to at
least 145° F and poultry to at
least 165° F.
Food Safety at Home
COOK
Cook ground beef to at least
160°F.
Cook eggs until yolk and
white are firm.
Fish should be opaque and
flake easily with a fork.
Food Safety at Home
COOK
When cooking in a microwave
oven, stir or rotate to make
sure there are no cold spots
where bacteria can survive.
Reheat leftovers to 165° F.
Bring sauces, soups and
gravy to a boil.
Food Safety at Home
CHILL
Refrigerate or freeze perishables,
prepared food and leftovers within
2 hours.
Divide large amounts of leftovers
into shallow containers for quick
cooling in the refrigerator.
Use a thermometer to make sure
refrigerator is 35-40°F.
Food Safety at Home
CHILL
Never thaw foods at room
temperature.
Marinate foods in the
refrigerator.
Don’t pack the refrigerator
too full. Cold air must
circulate to keep food safe.
Special Foods/Special Advice
Foods seniors advised
NOT to eat:
Soft cheeses, such as feta, Brie,
Camembert, blue-veined, and
Mexican-style cheese, if made
with unpasteurized milk
Raw or unpasteurized milk
Why? Common source of Listeria
Special Foods/Special Advice
Foods seniors advised
NOT to eat:
Raw fin fish and shellfish, including
oysters, clams, mussels, and
scallops. (Vibrio & other pathogens)
Raw or lightly cooked egg or egg
products, including salad dressings,
cookie or cake batter, sauces, and
beverages such as egg nog.
(Salmonella)
Special Foods/Special Advice
Foods seniors advised
NOT to eat:
Raw meat or poultry
Raw sprouts
Unpasteurized or untreated
fruit or vegetable juice
 Why? E. coli and Salmonella
Special Foods/Special Advice
Foods seniors advised
NOT to eat:
Refrigerated pates, meat spreads
or cold smoked fish, unless
reheated.
Hot dogs and luncheon meats,
unless reheated.
Why? Potential source of Listeria
Special Foods/Special Advice
Why Reheat Ready-to-eat (RTE) Meat,
Poultry and Fish Products?
Easily contaminated with Listeria post
processing in packing plant, deli or
home.
Listeria, if present, grows during
refrigerated storage.
Re-heating to steaming hot (165°F)
destroys any Listeria that may be present.
Other Tips for Enhancing Safety of
RTE Meat and Poultry Products
Select products made with additives that
slow the growth of Listeria. Look for
sodium or potassium lactate, and
sodium or potassium diacetate in the
ingredient list.
Observe “Use-by” dates for unopened
packages.
Once opened, use or freeze hot dogs within
1 week; deli and luncheon meats within
3 to 4 days.
Remember:
For more information…
The FDA Hotline - 1-888-SAFEFOOD
(723-3366)
The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline –
1-800-535-4555
Colorado SafeFood website:
http://www.colostate.edu/Orgs/safefood
Questions?
Food Safety Bingo
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Which population group is at increased risk for
infection with Listeria?
(Older adults)
What type of food should be stored above raw
foods?
(Ready-to-eat)
What is the first thing that you should do to a
cutting board after using it for raw meats?
(Wash)
What should you do to a cutting board after it is
washed in soapy water and rinsed thoroughly?
(Sanitize)
Food Safety Bingo

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Name a food that has been associated with
outbreaks of listeriosis:
(Soft raw milk cheese)
After washing a surface, always do this.
(Rinse)
To what temperature should hamburger be
cooked?
(160˚F)
Length of time it’s safe to keep opened packages
of deli meats in the refrigerator?
(3-5 days)
Listeria is easily destroyed by what factor?
(Heat)
Food Safety Bingo


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
What temperature should your freezer be?
(0˚F)
Your refrigerator should be no warmer than ___˚F.
(40˚F)
How long can perishable foods be safely held on the
countertop?
(2 hours, total)
What type of a container should you use to cool hot
foods?
(Shallow)
What should you use to check the temperature of
your refrigerator?
(refrigerator thermometer)
Food Safety Bingo

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Where should you put a thermometer in your
refrigerator?
(In the front)
Where should you store raw meat when you are
marinating it?
(Inside refrigerator)
On which shelf of the refrigerator should you store
raw meats?
(Bottom)
Which bacteria can grow in the refrigerator?
(Listeria)
What should you do when ice builds up inside your
freezer?
(Defrost)
Food Safety Bingo

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When the weather is hot, where are groceries
safest from heat during the transport home?
(Inside the car-not the trunk)
What should you use to wash your hands?
(Soap)
If the outside temperature is 90˚F or above, how
long can food sit at room temperature?
(1 hour)
What is the minimal amount of time that you
should wash your hands?
(20 seconds)
Finish the sentence “Food Safety ___________.”
(begins at home)