To Eat or Not to Eat: Decorative Products on Foods Can be Unsafe

Edible glitter cake balls Baking fancy cookies and cakes for the holidays? The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants you to know that some glitters and dusts promoted for use in foods may, in fact, contain materials that should not be eaten. Many decorative glitters and dusts are sold over the Internet and in craft and bakery […]

Food Safety for Flooded Farms

Flooding events, especially during the harvest season, can have a significant impact on a farm’s bottom line. Growers need to also consider food safety impacts as they assess damage and consider their options. Several resources are available to help growers in the aftermath of significant rain events: Food Safety for Flooded Farms (Produce Safety Alliance) Flooding […]

Guidelines for Consuming Late Season Produce Exposed to Floodwater

Heavy rains and the flowing waters that result can contaminate plants growing in the garden and create a food safety hazard. As floodwater moves into your garden, it can carry raw sewage overflow, farm and domestic animal waste, river or pond water, and agricultural run-off, all of which can be sources of human pathogens such […]

Fruits and Vegetables – Healthy Many Ways!

Lorre Kolb’s interview with Barb Ingham, UW-Extension Food Scientist with the Department of Food Science at the UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. TRANSCRIPT Lorre Kolb: Eating healthy; including more fruits and vegetables in your diet. We’re visiting today with Barb Ingham, Extension Food Safety Specialist, Department of Food Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison/Extension, in the College […]

Learn About the Five Essential Strengths that Keep Every Family Strong.

The Wisconsin Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board recently launched the Five for Families campaign featuring an interactive website (www.FiveforFamilies.org) for parents, caregivers, friends, neighbors, and community members. The “five strengths” are: • Helping kids understand feelings • Parenting as children grow • Connecting with others • Building inner strength • Knowing how to find help […]

Tips for Keeping Your Family Safe from Foodborne Illnesses

Barb Ingham, UW-Extension Food Scientist Department of Food Science UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences bhingham@wisc.edu TRANSCRIPT Lorre Kolb: Outbreaks linked to fresh produce. We’re visiting today with Barb Ingham, Extension Food Safety Specialist, Department of Food Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison/Extension, in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and I’m Lorre Kolb. Barb, why are […]

Parenting and Family Relationships Resources

We’d like to let you know about the University of Wisconsin, Cooperative Extension Parenting and Family Relationships website (parenting.extension.wisc.edu). Developed by a team of family and parenting specialists at UW-Madison’s Extension Human Development and Relationships Institute, the website is a clearinghouse of quality web-based resources for families and professionals on parenting, healthy relationships, […]

Safe Preserving: Flavored Vinegars

Flavored vinegars are very easy to prepare and delicious with summer-time salads. They are favored by chefs for adding excitement to special dishes. Cooking at home is also enlivened by the blended flavor of vinegar and herbs, fruits, vegetables, and/or spices. And because they are naturally so high in acid, flavored vinegars allow more creativity than […]

Invasive Jumping Worms Continue to Spread!

It looks like spring has finally arrived! With the warmer temperatures, many people are probably anxious to be in their yards and gardens. With this comes the many plant sales and exchanges that commonly occur. However, this year everyone should be aware of a relatively new invasive species to the county, “jumping worms.” Unlike other […]

Wash Your Hands, Not Your Poultry (or Other Meat)

Poultry (chicken, turkey, duck) and other meat should NOT be washed before cooking. Washing poultry and other meat spreads germs to other areas of the kitchen, and is not effective at removing bacteria that may be present. A study published in the International Journal of Food Microbiology illustrates why it’s a bad idea to wash meat and poultry. […]