Forty-one
percent of foods in home refrigerators were beyond the use-by date, temperature
was also higher than the limit.
Increased Listeria monocytogenes incidence among
older adults ($60 years) has been reported internationally, with many cases
reported to be sporadic and associated with ready-to-eat (RTE) food products
with extended refrigerated shelf life.
Given that
the home kitchen is recognized as a significant location where foodborne
illnesses are acquired, it is important that consumers implement safe food
practices to minimize risks. This is crucial for vulnerable consumers, such as
older adults.
Consumer
food safety recommendations in the United Kingdom to reduce the risk of
listeriosis at home include (i) following ‘‘use-by’’ dates on unopened pre-packed
RTE food products, (ii) consuming RTE food products within 2 days of opening,
and (iii) ensuring the safe operating temperatures of domestic refrigerators
(#5uC). This study utilized observation, self-reporting, and microbiological
analysis to determine actual food storage practices to identify behavioral risk
factors.
A domestic
kitchen survey was conducted in older adult ($60 years) consumers’ domestic
kitchens (n ~ 100) in South Wales, United Kingdom. Forty-one percent of foods
in home refrigerators were beyond the use-by date, of which 11% were unopened
RTE food products commonly associated with listeriosis.
Sixty-six percent
of opened RTE foods had been or were intended to be stored beyond the
recommended 2 days after opening. Older adults failed to ensure safe
refrigeration temperatures, with 50% of central storage and 85% of door storage
areas operating at temperatures .5ºC.
Older
refrigerators operated at significantly (P 0.05) higher temperatures. Given
that Listeria monocytogenes was
isolated in 2% of kitchens, these findings suggest that storage malpractices
may have a greater effect on the potential risk of listeriosis than its
presence alone.
The study
has determined that many older adults fail to adhere to recommendations and
subject RTE foods associated with Listeria
monocytogenes to prolonged storage at unsafe temperatures which may render
food unsafe for consumption.
Source: Journal
of Food Protection, Vol. 78, No. 4, 2015, Pages 738–745
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