Holiday food safety tips for seniors

By Carol Higgins Taylor

    Soon it will be Thanksgiving. As we look forward to a delicious meal with all the trimmings, we should be aware of one important component: food safety. While it is tempting to linger for a while around the platters of food, nibbling absentmindedly, when it comes to food, time is not on your side.

    According to the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service website there are guidelines in place that, if followed, should help keep your food safe to consume. For seniors who may have compromised immune systems, a “touch” of food poisoning can be catastrophic. It makes good sense to follow these guidelines:
    Refrigerate or freeze meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, and other perishables within two hours of cooking or purchasing. 
    Never thaw food at room temperature, such as on the counter top. It is safe to thaw food in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave. But if you do thaw food in cold water or in the microwave, you should cook it immediately.
    Divide large amounts of leftovers into shallow containers for quicker cooling in the refrigerator.
    There are important food-prep guidelines to follow while cooking:
    Wash hands in warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds — or time to sing “Happy Birthday” twice — before and after handling food.
    Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and counter tops with hot soapy water after preparing each dish, before working with the next food.
    Use paper towels to clean up kitchen surfaces. Dish cloths can pick up germs and bacteria and just spread them around. And put your wet sponge in the microwave for 60 seconds to disinfect. Be careful when removing because it will be hot
    It’s best to wash fruits and vegetables with a veggie wash, available in the produce section of the grocery story. It will get your produce clean as a whistle. 
    Also, wash the lids of canned foods because all the grime from the grocery store settles on it. How many times have you fished out the lid from the can after opening?
    For more information, log on www.fsis.usda.gov and type in “older adults and food” in the search bar.
    Now, let’s talk turkey. When cooking the bird, insert a meat thermometer into the inner thigh area near the breast, being careful not to touch the bone. The turkey is done when it reaches a minimum of 165 degrees. The stuffing should also be 165 degrees.
    To be even more on the safe side, cook the stuffing separately. Serve your guests and put the turkey in the refrigerator.
    And speaking of stuffing: if your personal recipe calls for oysters, make sure they have been properly refrigerated or iced, especially if you’re serving people with weakened immune systems or liver disorders, as they have an increased risk of becoming ill from improperly stored seafood. To be especially safe — again — cook the stuffing outside the bird.
    If you plan to send food, tell the recipient when it will arrive. It may ruin the surprise but it’s better than risking spoilage. If your gift is perishable, it should be quite cold when it arrives, be unpacked immediately and refrigerated.
    Cheese is another holiday treat that is nutritious and delicious but be careful of the soft ones, which are typically not processed, such as feta, brie, camembert, and blue-veined. Before you pile one of these on a cracker, check to see if it is cold. If not, opt for the cheddar.
    Most of all, have a great holiday season!
    Carol Higgins Taylor is an advocate for seniors and owns a public relations firm in Bangor. Email: 4chtaylor@gmail.com.