Food Safety Feature Articles
Food safety thrives when you focus on five
September is National Food Safety Education Month, an annual observance to focus attention on the importance of safe food handling and preparation. Although this topic is highlighted in September, the information and tips in this article are important year-round...more
Keeping food safe, washing hands key to reducing foodborne illnesses
Everyone is at risk for foodborne illness or food poisoning when large amounts of bacteria multiply and make it into our bodies. That means it is our job is to keep bacteria from multiplying...more
Preserve home-canned salsa safely
Don’t want to throw out extra tomatoes? Making salsa is a great way to preserve them! Following these tips will help keep your canned salsa safe for you and your family...more
A great way to preserve extra fruit or fruit with bumps, bruises or knots is to make fruit leather...more
Pickling is a different way to enjoy cucumbers and is often an easy process, but there are some important things to know to assure pickles are safe to eat...more
With food prices on the rise, many people are becoming more interested in growing and preserving their own food. More and more are canning and freezing, while others are discovering, or rediscovering, the science of drying foods...more
Tomato-based salsas have been popular for several years for food preservers, but there is a new twist on this favorite - fruit salsas. So how do you can a safe, great tasting fruit salsa at home?...more
Many ways to preserve garden green beans
There are many ways you can preserve green beans so you are eating your garden’s bounty all winter long. Most people can or freeze their extra green beans, but you could also pickle or dry them...more
Get the best results when freezing your produce
For people who want to preserve their garden vegetables and eat them another time, freezing is a viable option...more
Steps to prevent foodborne illness when eating fresh produce
Fresh fruits and vegetables can sometimes become contaminated with harmful bacteria, so it’s important to handle fresh produce safely to reduce the risk of getting food poisoning...more
Remember to keep tomatoes safe if freezing or canning
Gardens are beginning to produce an abundance of tomatoes. As a result, the dilemma of how to preserve the tomatoes has begun...more
Tips for safe grilling in the summer
Summer is a great time to keep the heat out of the kitchen by grilling safely outside. Here are some tips to address the most common concerns in grilling safety...more
Prevent botulism from home-canned foods
Many microorganisms are difficult to get rid of, including clostridium botulinum — the bacteria that causes botulism. Botulism is rare but can be fatal. Home-processed foods are often the culprit of foodborne botulism...more
Food safety is especially important for seniors
Senior citizens need to know they are at increased risk for contracting a foodborne illness. The good news is they can decrease their risk by avoiding some foods and taking steps to keep other foods safe...more
Serve perfect and safe boiled eggs
To assure you have the best quality from store to table, it is important to know how to purchase, prepare and store your eggs...more
Spring cleaning – in the freezer
While spring seems to be playing hide and seek with us this year, perhaps this is a good time for spring cleaning, in the freezer that is...more
How to handle the pistachio recall
Here are some key things to do and places to visit on the Web for the most current information about the recent pistachio recall...more
How to handle the salmonella peanut outbreak
As the salmonella peanut outbreak continues to unfold, here are some key things to do and places to visit on the Web for the most current information...more
Is the Salad Bar Safe? Produce Concerns Linger after Summer Scares
September is national food safety education month and many people afraid to eat tomatoes this summer, but there is only so much that can be done to assure produce is safe to eat...more
Keeping Back-to-School Lunches Safe
Whether you pack a lunch for your scholar or for yourself, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans gives basic food safety tips...more
Prevent problems with your home-canned foods
There is nothing more disappointing than to find problems with your food when you want to use them. Here are a few tips to help prevent small problems...more
There’s more to canning than putting a lid on a jar and getting it to seal, but if it doesn’t seal, it is a problem! Understanding canning lids can help prevent some problems...more
Can eating grilled meats cause a cancer risk?
Summer is a time when everyone moves cooking outdoors grilling. It’s hard to beat the flavor of a hot grilled hamburger but does eating them put you at risk for cancer...more
Parties and gatherings are great places to share recipes and this one goes well with your health: food safety...more
Food safety after a power outage
Once the electricity goes off, a full freezer will hold temperatures for 48 hours. A half-full freezer will hold a freezing temperature for 24 hours. It is important to only open the freezer door when absolutely necessary...more
Food Dating Helps Assure Quality
You can’t see the food inside many packages you buy at the grocery store making it hard to know if the food is fresh...more
Venison is a Healthy Choice but Should be Handled with Care
Venison is a great source of protein that has significantly less fat than beef and pork. As with all protein-based foods, it is especially important to handle venison with care to prevent foodborne illness in the people who consume it...more
First-of-its-Kind Grant Given To Develop Food Safety Training for Hispanic Employees in Food Service
University of Missouri researchers have been awarded a first-of-its-kind grant to design and produce a food safety training program specifically for the nation’s Hispanic employees in the food service industry...more
When it comes to canning the garden’s harvest, safety rules over creativity. And to can safely means following the USDA recommendations...more
Don't Pack Bugs in your Picnic Basket
Before fixing a picnic, be sure to prepare, store and pack food safely. Otherwise, the most dangerous bugs at your picnic may be the bacteria that you can't see...more
Egg handling at Easter or at any time during the year provides many chances for eggs to become contaminated with bacteria. Keep the following tips in mind...more
Escherichia coli or E. coli is a bacterium that has been in the news a lot for the foodborne illness that it has caused. More recently we have heard on the news that E. coli has been found at levels that are too high in some of our lakes, rivers and streams. It’s easy to wonder if it is the same E. coli and what the difference is if it is in our streams versus in our food. Bottom line is that both can cause illness if ingested...more
Eggs are an easy-to-prepare high-protein food. Whether they are colored for Easter eggs or used for a light evening meal after a big Sunday dinner, keeping them safe is essential...more
Keep your refrigerator at the right temperature for food safety
During the summer months, food safety experts spend a significant amount of time warning people about the dangers of leaving food at room temperature and the importance of keeping food cold at outdoor picnics. One thing sometimes overlooked is the importance of assuring the refrigerator is at the proper temperature to assure food safety...more
For Quality and Safety, Store Foods Properly
Storing foods properly has an impact on the eventual safety and quality of that food. It is important to know how to store foods properly so you can prevent foodborne illness in your household as well as get the best value for your money...more
Keep Foods Safe For Summer Picnics
Keeping food safe to eat is always a top priority but summer is a good time to take inventory of your food safety habits. Summer picnics and other outdoor events where food is served can be fertile breeding ground for foodborne illness...more
Get Ready for Home Canning Season
When you plant your garden, it’s so easy to imagine all of the great-tasting, healthy food that will come from those tiny seeds and plants. Spring is a great time to make sure your canning gear is ready for production when your garden starts producing more than you can eat...more
Much has been learned since 1790, when the process of canning vegetables and meat was invented to help sustain Napoleon’s troops in wartime. Two recent changes are worth noting...more
It can be very rewarding to serve your family and guests your very own homemade pickles. Whether you are a novice or experienced pickle maker there are things to keep in mind when making your pickled products...more
Deer hunters should keep food safety in their sights
Hunters who train their sights on a few simple food safety steps will end up with a freezer full of venison instead of a breeding ground for food-borne illnesses...more
Put food safety first in home canning
Don’t believe everything you hear when it comes to home canning. Two unproven methods -- oven and dishwasher canning – are getting attention, but neither are safe, according to a University of Missouri Extension expert...more
Make shopping for food your last stop before going home. Perishable foods spoil if they are left out for more than two hours. If it is over 90 degrees, or if groceries sit in a hot car, food will begin to spoil much sooner...more
Store food as soon as you get home form grocery shopping. Refrigerate or freeze perishable foods like meat, poultry or fish right away to keep it fresh. If you will not use perishable foods within several days, freeze it...more
Germs grow best in foods containing meat, fish, poultry, egg or milk. These are called perishable foods because they spoil easily. Germs grow very fast at room temperature. You can get food poisoning if you eat perishable foods that have been at room temperature for more than two hours....more
Germs that spoil food and give us food poisoning can grow in our kitchen. A clean kitchen is not a good place for germs to live and grow. To start your attack against germs, use lots of hot, soapy water...more
Mice, rats, flies, ants, roaches and several types of beetles and moths are pests that come into our homes and make our food unsafe. They walk on food and on areas where we cook and eat our food. Their droppings get into food and can cause food poisoning...more
Safe home canning methods will protect you and your family from illness. Here are some suggestions...more
Thawing and Cooking Foods Safely
When thawing foods for cooking, remember it isn't safe to leave perishable foods, like meat, fish, poultry, dairy products and eggs, out of the refrigerator more than two hours. The germs that cause food poisoning grow very fast at room temperature...more
Leftover perishable foods like meat, fish, poultry, and foods containing eggs or dairy products, should be cooked quickly in the refrigerator or freezer. Don't worry, modern refrigerators and freezers were made to cool hot food...more
On the weekend, make up several kinds of sandwiches, wrap and freeze them...more
What 's the best choice for a sandwich if you can't keep it cold until lunch time? What's the safest pie to take to potluck dinner? What's the safest way to prepare hamburgers for your picnic?...more
Tips for using your microwave safely...more
Blanch Vegetables Before Freezing
Every fresh sweet corn season I hear people telling others how to freeze their corn by just putting in the freezer-and it tastes fresh. Well…here’s the rest of the story...more
Get Your Canning Equipment and Supplies Ready
The gardens are looking great! If you’ve had some “hard water” on your garden, it’s not too late to replant or put in a fall garden. The Vegetable Planting Calendar lists late July as the last of the planting dates for North Missouri for many vegetables...more
Cranking a "Safe" Freezer of Homemade Ice Cream
At one time, uncooked eggs were used to make ice cream, but now we know in order to reduce the risk of salmonella poisoning, a custard-based recipe, an eggless recipe or even using an egg substitute should be used...more
Kitchen Crazies Lead to Risky Business
Hurried or rushed cooks, even impatient cooks, can create a crazy kitchen and be welcoming uninvited guests! The uninvited guests I’m referring to are those associated with food borne illness - flu like symptoms can begin within a few hours or a few days and last a few hours or several days...more
Coloring Eggs - A Spring Tradition
Coloring eggs for the springtime can be great fun, but it is important to keep a few safety tips in mind. We don’t want our spring fun spoiled by food borne bacteria...more
Some people define leftovers as planned-overs--cooking with the idea to have another meal from the effort. Others define them as containers of "stuff" that get shoved to the back of the refrigerator and get fuzzy. The big question is how long do leftovers last?...more
Holiday Food Safety Strategies
During the holiday season many home kitchens work overtime. No one wants to spoil a holiday celebration with foodborne illness. So keep your family and friends safe with the following food safety strategies...more
Don't Invite BAC to Your Home for
the Holidays!
When celebrating the holidays, be sure to keep an eye out for an uninvited guest - BAC, as in bacteria that can cause foodborne illness...more
Eggnog - A Potential Holiday Hazard
As we celebrate the holiday season, don't let the eggnog spoil letting you celebrate with great company! The "old-fashioned" eggnog contains raw eggs. The new "traditional" eggnog has cooked eggs to reduce the risk of salmonella food poisoning...more
Holiday food safety for older adults
The holidays are a time where many people are preparing and handling foods for family members or friends. A few simple steps can ensure that everyone enjoys the holidays without symptoms of food borne illness...more
It’s time to purchase and prepare your Thanksgiving turkey. After reading this article, you’ll be armed with all of the information you need to purchase, thaw and prepare your holiday bird safely...more
Not so bright turkeys are afraid of a lot more than Thanksgiving ax
Turkeys fear a lot more things than an ax this time of year and you have to be on your toes to deal with things that might kill them...more
Food safety tips help keep unwelcome guests from Thanksgiving dinner table
Thanksgiving is a great time to get together for a special dinner, but the last thing you want is any unwelcome visitors, such as salmonella, a kind of bacteria that can cause food-borne sickness...more
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Last update: Friday, January 08, 2010
