Food Safety for Older Adults

48 million people are sickened by foodborne illness each year in the United States. While the food supply in the United States is among the safest in the world, it can still be a source of foodborne illness particularly for vulnerable populations such as older adults. Since foodborne illness can be serious and even fatal, it’s important for older adults to understand the basics of foodborne illness and practice safe food-handling behaviors to prevent infection. This booklet entitled Food Safety for Older Adults created by the USDA and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is a need-to-know guide for those 65 years of age or older and serves to educate older adults about foodborne illness and food safety.