The American Dietetic Association (ADA – www.eatright.org) says that the body’s defenses against bacteria and serious illness weaken with age, leaving us more vulnerable to food-borne illness—or food poisoning—as we get older. The National Institutes of Health urges seniors, because of their lowered defenses against food contamination, to avoid the following foods:

• Raw or undercooked meat, poultry, fish or seafood
• Unpasteurized or raw milk, milk products and juices
• Raw or partially cooked eggs and foods made with raw eggs such as cookie dough and cake batter, protein milkshakes and Caesar salad dressing
• Hot dogs and luncheon meats, unless reheated until steaming hot or 165 degrees Fahrenheit
• Soft cheeses like Brie and Camembert, unless labeled “made with pasteurized milk”
• Uncooked sprouts, such as bean, alfalfa, clover or radish