Food Safety and Inspection Service United States Department of Agriculture Washington, D.C. 20250-3700

Consumer Education and Information

February 1997
Contact Information Slightly Revised May 2000

Seniors Need Wisdom on Food Safety

An old adage states, "With age, comes wisdom." Hopefully that wisdom includes lots of good food safety information. Why? As we mature, our bodies change. Seniors become more at-risk for illness and, once ill, it can take them longer to recover.

Knowledge of safe food handling is needed to help seniors stay healthy. It's important to understand the effect of pathogens and other microorganisms on elderly bodies. The best preventative is understanding the safeguards necessary to remain free from foodborne illness.

Some of the changes seniors undergo lessen the body's ability to combat bacteria. For example, there is a decrease in stomach acid secretion, which is a natural defense against ingested bacteria. And over time, the immune system may become less adept in ridding the body of bacteria.

Too, the sense of taste or smell -- sometimes affected by medication or illness -- may not always sound an alert when meat is spoiled or milk may be sour. By knowing how the body changes and using safe food handling techniques, seniors can easily protect themselves and reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

Some seniors are homebound and must rely on delivered food. Others are new widowers with little cooking experience. Whether seniors are part of these groups or experienced cooks, adhering to the following up-to-date food safety guidelines is just plain good wisdom.

GUIDELINES FOR SAFE FOOD HANDLING

1. Keep it safe, refrigerate or freeze. Refrigerate or freeze all perishable foods. Refrigerator temperature should be 40° F or less; freezer temperature should be 0° F or less. Use a refrigerator/freezer thermometer to check the temperatures.
2. Never thaw food at room temperature. Always thaw food in the refrigerator, or in cold water or in a microwave. When thawing in the microwave, you must cook the food immediately.
3. Wash hands with warm soapy water before preparing food. Wash hands, utensils, cutting boards and other work surfaces after contact with raw meat and poultry. This helps prevent cross contamination.
4. Never leave perishable food out of refrigeration over two hours. If room temperature is 90° F or above food should not be left out over 1 hour. This would include items such as take-out foods, leftovers from a restaurant meal, and meals-on wheels deliveries.
5. Thoroughly cook raw meat, poultry and fish (see the following chart of internal temperatures). Do not partially cook food. Have a constant heat source, and always set the oven at 325° F or higher when cooking. There is no need to bring food to room temperature before cooking.

FOODS PURCHASED OR DELIVERED HOT

Eating Within Two Hours?

Pick up or receive the food HOT...and enjoy eating within two hours.

Not Eating Within Two Hours?

Keeping food warm is not enough. Harmful bacteria can multiply between 40° and 140°F.

Set oven temperature high enough to keep the hot food at 140°F or above. Check internal temperature of food with a meat thermometer. Covering with foil will help keep the food moist.

Eating Much Later?

It's not a good idea to try and keep the food hot longer than two hours. Food will taste better and be safely stored if you:

• Place in shallow containers.
• Divide large quantities into smaller portions.
• Cover loosely and refrigerate immediately.
• Reheat thoroughly when ready to eat.

Reheating?

Reheat thoroughly to temperature of 165°F or until hot and steaming. In the microwave oven, cover food and rotate so it heats evenly. Allow stand time for more even heating.

Consult your microwave owner's manual for recommended cooking time, power level and stand time. Inadequate heating can contribute to illness.

FOODS PURCHASED OR DELIVERED COLD

Keep Cold Food Cold

Eat or refrigerate immediately. Cold food should be held at 40°F or colder.

The Two Hour Rule

Perishable food should not be at room temperature longer than two hours. Discard food which has been left at room temperature longer than two hours. For room temperatures over 90°F, discard food after one hour.

MINIMUM INTERNAL COOKING TEMPERATURES

We recommend the following:

COLD STORAGE

Other Food Safety Numbers

National Center for Nutrition and Dietetics
Consumer Nutrition Hotline
1-800-366-1655

Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
Food and Drug Administration
1-800-332-4010

American Heart Association
1-800-242-8721

American Institute for Cancer Research
1-800-843-8114
(Washington DC area only)
202-328-7744

American Diabetes Association
1-800-232-3472

For additional food safety information about meat, poultry or eggs, call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1 (800) 535-4555. It is staffed by home economists, registered dietitians and food technologists from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET year round. An extensive selection of food safety recordings can be heard 24 hours a day using a touch-tone phone.

Information and publications can be downloaded from USDA's Home Page on the Internet at http://www.usda.gov/fsis

The media may call Bessie Berry, Manager, USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline, at (202) 720-5604.

February 1997

For Further Information Contact:
FSIS Food Safety Education Staff
Meat and Poultry Hotline:

• 1-800-535-4555 (Toll-free Nationwide)
• (202) 720-3333 (Washington, DC area)
• 1-800-256-7072 (TDD/TTY)

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