Christine J. Patrick, County Extension Agent – EFNEP
Certain foods may contain harmful bacteria that won’t make the general population sick. Still, they can be a problem for the elderly (as well as very young children, pregnant women, and those with chronic illnesses or compromised immune systems).
No one has established a given age for older adults to avoid certain foods. Age-related decline in health—and thus, the body’s ability to kill bacteria in food—varies from person to person. However, it has GIVEN; that most adults 75 years and older lack the stomach acid that can kill bacteria. You might also consider yourself “at-risk” if you are very underweight, accumulate chronic diseases, or take several different medications. All of those circumstances are evidence of a weakened or declining immune system. If you’re getting more infections than you used to contact or taking longer to get over them, that’s a sign. If you decide it’s time, here are the foods to consider avoiding:
- Deli meats and other ready-to-eat meat and poultry products; smoked fish; refrigerated pates and meat spreads; soft cheeses such as feta, brie, Camembert, blue-veined cheeses, and Mexican-style varieties- All of these foods can contain a type of bacteria called Listeria monocytogenes. Cooking kills it, but none of these foods are routinely heated at home—they’re all eaten cold. Listeria can cause problems ranging from flu-like symptoms to meningitis.
- Caesar salad dressing; hollandaise sauce; eggnog; Key lime pie; cookie or cake batter – If these items contain raw, unpasteurized eggs, they may contain Salmonella bacteria, which can cause GI upset like nausea and diarrhea and serious complications such as severe dehydration. Runny eggs and sunny-side-up eggs may contain salmonella too.
- Raw mollusks, including oysters, clams, and mussels- These foods can contain Vibrio bacteria, which are capable of causing everything from stomach cramps to blood poisoning.
- Alfalfa sprouts– Raw sprouts can contain the same bacterium that has turned some undercooked hamburgers deadly: E Coli 0157:H7. (Sprouts can also harbor salmonella.)
- Fresh, unpasteurized juice– Nothing tastes better than fresh juice bought by the roadside. But it’s safe only if it has been treated to kill harmful bacteria, including E. coli.
For more information on food safety, visit the Home & Garden Information Center at http://hgic.clemson.edu or 1-888-656-9988.
The Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.
