Fruit and Vegetable Safety Published on April 3, 2019 by Barb Ingham According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) eating a diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables provides important health benefits, but it’s important that you select and prepare them safely. Fruits and vegetables add nutrients to your diet that help […]

Focus on Food Safety When Making Maple Syrup Published on April 1, 2019 by Barb Ingham Making maple syrup is a time-honored tradition in many parts of Wisconsin, and it is as much of an art as a science. Even though sap does run in other trees such as birch and elm in early spring, […]

    The University of Wisconsin issued recommendations a few years ago for safely using an atmospheric steam canner for home canning of naturally acid or acidified foods. The atmospheric steam canner has some advantages over a boiling water canner for processing high acid foods.  Research recommendations indicated that naturally acid foods, such as peaches, […]

    A recent recall of baby food in Canada due to the risk for botulism poisoning (February, 2019) following on 4 cases of infant botulism poisoning in the U.S. linked to honey-containing pacifiers (November, 2018) suggests that it’s a good time to remind everyone that botulism is dangerous for all ages, but particularly for infants […]

      A new article from the Center for Food Integrity (CFI) argues that what consumers want more than chocolate is transparency; consumers want to know where there food comes from and how it’s made. On this Valentine’s Day, arguing against chocolate might be a hard sell, but CFI does point to efforts by […]

    If dinner at your favorite restaurant is part of your Valentine’s Day plan, be sure food safety is on the menu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has prepared food safety tips for dining out so it is a memorable meal for the right reasons. Check for cleanliness. Choose a dining establishment that is […]

    Last year health officials reported that four infants in Texas developed botulism poisoning after consuming honey. The children, all less than a year old, had all been given pacifiers containing honey before they became sick. All four babies had to be admitted to hospitals for life-saving treatment. Botulism poisoning attacks the nervous system […]

You might have noticed something strange on days when it’s really, really cold and sunny – snow looks like it’s disappearing.  The snow isn’t melting, it’s too cold for that, but you know the snow pile is disappearing.  The disappearance is due to a phenomenon known as sublimation – when a solid goes directly to […]

  In my family, I tend to prefer the term ‘planned-overs’ to the term ‘leftovers’ – I am ‘planning’ to serve a soup or casserole again that week! Whether it’s food prepared at home, or more of a restaurant meal than can be eaten in one sitting, there are some basic steps to assure that […]