Is Food Safety an Issue at Thanksgiving?
November 13, 2018
When many people think of food safety and foodborne infection, the first thing that comes to mind is summer time traveling, picnics, and cookouts. Warm weather and the frequency of eating foods such as mayonnaise-based salads and meats make this time particularly dangerous for food safety. As a family caregiver, however, it is critical to understand that food safety is an issue at all times of year. As Thanksgiving comes around, keeping food safety issues in mind ensures your entire family can enjoy the feast without putting their health at risk.
Home Care in Los Gatos CA: Thanksgiving Food Safety
Food safety can be a major issue at Thanksgiving for a variety of reasons include:
● Shortness of time can cause shortcuts such as not thoroughly washing fresh produce. This can cause exposure to contaminants from the transport vehicle, the grocery store, or the home.
● Frequently going in and out of the refrigerator and freezer can cause the temperature to rise.
● People often leave ingredients sitting out on the counter or table while they prepare dishes, or completed dishes sitting out waiting to be served because of too little space in the refrigerator.
● Preparing a large turkey makes it easy to cause cross-contamination on other foods and surfaces.
When considering food safety, it is important to remember that elderly adults are more vulnerable to this issue than younger adults. Seniors have less effective immune systems than younger people, which means they are not only more likely to contract infections and illnesses, but suffer more serious consequences and have a more difficult time fighting them off. Small amounts of pathogens that might not cause symptoms for younger people could lead to very serious, even deadly, illnesses. It is vital to practice basic food safety, including hand washing, keeping raw meat and poultry away from surfaces and other foods, keeping food at safe temperatures, and ensuring foods are cooked properly.
The holiday season should be enjoyable for everyone, and that includes you. Being a family caregiver can be stressful at any time of year, but during the holiday season this can become overwhelming. Home care can help. An in-home senior care services provider can take on care tasks for your aging loved one so they can get everything they need while you focus on other aspects of this season. Not only does this give you more of the time and flexibility you need, but it also helps your parent feel acknowledged, supported, and independent throughout the season and beyond.