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 […]

  Since 2000, backyard poultry flocks have been responsible for more than 70 Salmonella outbreaks in the United States, sickening more than 4,794 people, with 894 hospitalizations and seven deaths; a third of the illnesses were children younger than 5. In 2017 alone, backyard poultry caused 1,120 Salmonella illnesses with cases in 48 states, sending 249 […]

While handling food safely using the 4 basic steps of cook, clean, chill and separate is important, we encourage consumers to also use their senses to guide decision-making.  Does the product look and smell OK? Often a bright, attractive color leads a consumer to choose a particular package of beef from the grocery store. So, […]

Some of our national news currently is focused on the lack of food inspections as a result of the government shutdown. The Food and Drug Administration has stopped routine food safety inspections of processing facilities for seafood, fruits, vegetables and many other foods, according to Dr. Scott Gottlieb, FDA commissioner. FDA inspectors conduct about 8,000 […]

  A slow cooker or “crock pot” is a convenient portable electric appliance popular in today’s kitchens. Slow cookers have several advantages. It’s “all-day cooking without looking.” They are economical to operate and can be used to produce flavorful soups and stews. While many of us find that a slow cooker is our go-to choice […]

This new year, let’s resolve to wash our hands, and not raw poultry! Rinsing chicken or turkey before cooking it is an ingrained step for many home cooks, passed down through generations and reinforced by some older cookbooks. Recipes like the “Perfect Roast Chicken” in “The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook” from 1999 advise cooks to “Rinse […]

Food Safety during Power Outages by Barb Ingham Whether it’s a massive winter storm or heavy rains and flooding in the summer, it’s important to handle food safely in an emergency. Knowing how to determine if food is safe and how to keep food safe will help minimize the potential loss of food and reduce […]

Pesticide residue levels in food. The USDA has issued its annual report(2017) of pesticide residue levels in our food supply. The voluntary sampling of foods represent geographically about 50% of our population and major agricultural areas. The foods include imports and those labeled as organic. Food samples were collected at points close to consumer purchase, like warehouse distribution […]