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The holidays bring with them family, friends and lots of delicious foods. What we don't want it to bring is a food-borne illnesses. While many food-related illnesses pass within a couple days, it can be a different story for older adults, young children, pregnant or nursing women, and anyone with a weakened immune system.
With age, the immune system often slows or weakens. Diabetes, arthritis, cancer, cardiovascular disease and some medications further weaken the immune system. Age-related declines in taste, smell and sight make it more difficult to read expiration dates or identify spoiled food.
Four steps can greatly increase the safety of foods we prepare at home, order at restaurants and eat at potlucks, family gatherings or at the beach.
Step 1: Clean: wash hands and surfaces often.
This step is critical because bacteria can easily spread, getting on cutting boards, utensils and food.
Wash hands in warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds and properly clean kitchen surfaces and utensils with hot soapy water.
Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils and countertops with hot soapy water, especially after they have been in contact with raw meat, poultry, seafood or eggs.
Remember to wash fresh fruits and vegetables under running water without soap, bleach or commercial produce washes. Use a clean produce brush to scrub the outside of firm produce such as watermelon or cucumber.
Step 2: Separate: don't cross-contaminate.
Cross-contamination happens when bacteria is transferred from one food to another through contact.
Raw meats, seafood, eggs and poultry are the most common culprits. Keep them (and their juices) away from foods that will not be cooked before eating -- for example, fresh fruits and vegetables.
Clean and sanitize cutting boards after using them to cut raw meats.
When picnicking or at a beach barbeque, keep the raw meat for grilling in a separate cooler than the drinks, mac salad and other foods that won't be cooked.
Step 3: Cook: cook to safe temperatures.
Use a food thermometer to measure the internal temperature of meats. To properly measure the internal temperature, insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. And remember to wash the thermometer after each use.
Steaks, roasts and chops of beef, pork, veal, lamb as well as fish should always be cooked to at least 145 degrees.
Eggs and ground beef, pork, veal and lamb need to reach a minimum internal temperature of 160 degrees.
All types of poultry (whole, pieces and ground) must reach at least 165 degrees internally.
When eating out, request that foods be cooked fully as undercooking can cause illness.
Step 4: Chill: Refrigerate promptly.
Bacteria grows more quickly in warm temperatures, so in Maui it's important to refrigerate all foods within one hour of cooking or purchasing. This includes rice. If left on the counter, rice can become unsafe.
Big pots of food like chili and chicken long rice should be separated into smaller more shallow containers so they cool more quickly in the refrigerator.
Thawing meats on the counter at room temperature can allow bacteria to grow quickly enough that cooking won't make the food safe.
Following these four steps will make the food you serve to all ages safer and reduce your risk of spending part of this holiday season feeling not so cheery and bright.
For more in-depth food safety information, visit the following websites:
eXtension's Food Safety website, www.extension.org/food_safety.
Food Safety for Older Adults, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/UCM312790.pdf.
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services' Food Safety website (includes food recalls), www.foodsafety.gov.
U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service website, www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/home.
* Heather Greenwood Junkermeier is with the University of Hawaii Manoa Cooperative Extension, Maui Intergenerational and Aging Programs. "Aging Matters" covers topics of interest to the aging Maui community and appears on the third Saturday of each month.