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Choosing Safe Treats for Halloween

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

Halloween safetyHalloween is almost here! When deciding what treats to buy to hand out to neighborhood goblins, keep in mind those who have food allergies. Always read the ingredient statements on treat wrappers and packaging to identify food allergens and to identify other suspicious problems.

Here is a list of non-food ideas from the Food Allergy Research & Education program.

  • Glow sticks, bracelets, or necklaces
  • Pencils, pens, crayons or markers
  • Bubbles
  • Halloween erasers or pencil toppers
  • Mini Slinkies
  • Whistles, kazoos, or noisemakers
  • Bouncy balls
  • Finger puppets or novelty toys
  • Coins
  • Spider rings
  • Vampire fangs
  • Mini notepads
  • Playing cards
  • Bookmarks
  • Stickers
  • Stencils

Help trick-or-treaters identify your home as food allergy friendly by using a teal-colored bucket or pumpkin.

Learn more about Halloween Food Safety from the Partnership for Food Safety Education.

Two New Presto Digital Canners

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

For home food preservation enthusiasts, Presto® has introduced two new appliances for pressure canning and water bath canning. These new appliances have the look and size of their stovetop canners, but incorporates the digital technology of the new stand alone appliances.

These new versions are available in the 16-quart and 23-quart sizes. The canner cover is the same twist-on style of the stovetop canner. There is not a removable inner pan, which allows a little more space for jars. The power cord is not removable. It is about 10 pounds lighter in weight compared to the previous digital canners. The cool down time is similar to the stovetop canners.

As a reminder, when using the pressure canning option, these canners are built to measure the temperature inside the canner for your elevation location. Therefore, you do not set the actual pressure for your elevation, this appliance does this for you. When using the water bath option, processing time must be added to adjust for your elevation.

Always follow the instructions for these appliances. None of these digital canners are for general cooking use. These are for canning purposes only.

Check out the new options from Presto!

Better Process Control School for Acidified Foods

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

Better Process Control SchoolSmall food processors add value and support for local communities. This includes farmers market vendors. For some food products, such as acidified foods, it is required the food processor be trained to process these foods safely. Acidified foods or formulated acid foods examples are pickles, salsa, BBQ sauce, and others.

The Better Process Control School for Acidified Foods is an FDA-recognized course for operators or manufacturers who produce thermally processed acidified foods. The course is being offered by Kansas State University and University of Missouri.

Those passing two exams with a grade of 70% or higher will receive a Certificate of Course Completion to fulfill the training requirements of the FDA Acidified Food regulations. Exams will be open book, multiple choice and will be online. Exams generally require no more than one hour to complete. Homework is required.

Topics covered include microbiology of food preservation, formulating acid/acidified food products, containers and closures, record keeping, and FDA process of filing.

Information and Registration

Cost: $400

Course Dates: October 9-10, 2025 via Zoom

Registration deadline:
September 26, 2025

Canning Previously Frozen Tomatoes

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

So you saved your tomato crop in the freezer. Can those frozen tomatoes be canned? What about tomatoes that froze on the vine?

First, it is not recommended to can tomatoes that froze on the vine. This is because the acid content changes too much, while on the vine, making them unsafe for canning.

But tomatoes harvested prior to a fall freeze, then frozen, do not change in acidity. What does change is their texture and how they measure.

The best choice for canning previously frozen tomatoes is to make a well cooked product such as a stewed or crushed tomato product, or make into tomato juice or sauce.

It is not recommended to can frozen tomatoes whole or quartered. They will pack into the jars differently, absorb moisture differently, and the heat transfers through the jars differently. This could lead to under processing and spoilage. Tomato canning recipes are based on fresh tomatoes.

Source: University of Georgia

Tomatoes

Preserving Apples

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

Preserving ApplesFall is almost here and apples are a favorite treat!

Apples can be preserved by canning, freezing, dehydrating, jams, jellies, fruit butter, and pickling. The best varieties for preserving are crisp, cooking varieities. Some suggested varieties for different types of preserving can be found from the University of Illinois Extension.

It is best to preserve the fruit shortly after harvest. Use apples that are neither too green nor too ripe. Avoid using apples held in cold storage for an extended period of time as the pH level can change.

Learn more about preserving apples in Preserve it Fresh, Preserve it Safe: Apples from K-State Extension. More options are available from the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

 

Preserving Horseradish

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

HorseradishK-State Extension Horticulture says horseradish is typically harvested in late fall just before the ground freezes. Once harvested, how can it be preserved?

There are no canning instructions, but it can be pickled and stored in the refrigerator. Vinegar helps to tame the strong flavor. The National Center for Home Food Preservation has a recipe for Pickled Horseradish Sauce. Remember, this is stored in the refrigerator only.

The heat and pungency in horseradish comes from the compound allyl isothiocyanate, a mustard-like oil. Vinegar tames this compound, but timing matters! Waiting longer after grinding to add vinegar, the hotter it will be!

Horseradish can be dried. Clean and peel roots. Grate or slice into 1/4-inch pieces. No blanching is required. Spread on dehydrator trays in a single layer. Dry at 140°F for 6-10 hours until very brittle. Grind into a powder or leave as pieces. To use, mix with a little water before adding to recipes.

Removing Odors from Refrigerators and Freezers

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

Clean Fridge DayNational Clean Your Refrigerator Day is November 15th! But this cleaning step is important many times of the year. One example is after a power outage.

Power outages can happen at anytime, not just when bad weather strikes. After a long power outage, food stored in the refrigerator and freezer may be unsafe and spoil.  This leads to strong odors inside the appliance.  Can these odors be removed?  It’s possible, but can be difficult.

Here are some tips from the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service:

  • Dispose of any spoiled or questionable food.
  • Wash shelves, crispers, and ice trays with hot water and detergent. Sanitize with a bleach solution (1 teaspoon bleach per quart water).
  • Wash appliance interior, door and gasket with hot water and baking soda. Sanitize with a bleach solution.
  • Leave door open for air circulation.

For lingering odors, try these tips:

  • Wipe inside with solution of equal parts water and vinegar.
  • Let appliance air out several days.
  • Stuff appliance with wads of newspaper. Close door for several days.  Remove paper and clean with vinegar and water.
  • Sprinkle fresh coffee grounds or baking soda in a shallow pan, place inside appliance to absorb odors.
  • Place cotton ball or swab soaked with vanilla inside appliance. Close door for 24 hours, check for odor.
  • Use a commercial product for cleaning appliances.

If all else fails, the appliance may need to be discarded. But remember to discard it safely.

  • “Childproof” old refrigerators or freezers so children do not get trapped inside. The surest way is to take the door off.
  • If the door will not come off, chain and padlock the door permanently and close tightly, or remove or disable the latch completely so the door will no longer lock when closed.

It is unlawful in many jurisdictions to discard old refrigerators or freezers without first removing the door.

 

Tomato Season is Here!

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

Many gardens are starting to produce homegrown tomatoes.

Tomatoes may have that tasty zing that makes them tart and tasty. But in reality, they are not as acidic as they seem, especially to can tomatoes safely.

Tomatoes have a pH value around 4.6 which makes them unsafe to can by themselves, with many varieties above 4.6. All tomatoes must be acidified with either citric acid, bottled lemon juice, or vinegar with 5% acidity in both water bath and pressure canning processing.

Without this added acid, tomatoes will likely ferment and spoil. Learn more in Preserve it Fresh, Preserve it Safe: Tomatoes.

 

Consumer Confidence in Safety of the U.S. Food Supply

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

For 20 years, the International Food Information Council has surveyed American consumers about many aspects of food and food-purchasing decisions. The 2025 survey results are now available which focuses on food and ingredient safety. The survey included 3,000 Americans from ages 18 to 30 years and was conducted in March 2025.

Some key findings from this survey include:

  • Confidence in the safety of the U.S. food supply is at an all-time low. In  2012, 78% reported being very confident (20%) or somewhat confident (58%). In 2025, only 55% of Americans report feeling very confident (11%) or somewhat confident (44%) in the safety of the U.S. food supply. The most notable decline is among Gen Z, those with higher household incomes, men, and Asian Americans.
  • Top ways to increase confidence in the safety of the U.S. food supply include a better understanding how food companies (42%) and
    the government (41%) currently ensure that food is safe. A similar
    share (41%) say seeing stricter regulations would also increase their
    confidence. One in three Americans (34%) say that their confidence
    would increase if they understood how the government responds
    when food has been deemed unsafe, up from 29% in 2023.
  • Foodborne illness is the top food safety issue overall. This is above carcinogens or cancer-causing chemicals in food, pesticides and pesticide residues, heavy metals, and food additives.

Other results from this survey showed the importance of stress and mental and emotional well-being, purchasing drivers of food and beverages, trust in food information sources, and many others.

According to Lisa Garcia, International Association of Food Protection director, “We see the IFIC Food & Health Survey insights as a call to collaborate more closely than ever. Improving confidence in the food system will take all of us—industry, government, academia—working together with transparency, consistency, and purpose.”

Source: International Food Information Council. 2025 IFIC Food & Health Survey: A Focus On Food & Ingredient Safety. July 2025.

Blanching Vegetables for Freezing and Dehydrating

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
corn
Blanching corn helps improve the texture and color during freezing.

Blanching is a process in which vegetables are lowered into boiling water for a specific time. The vegetables are subsequently dropped into ice water to quickly cool, then dried and placed in freezer containers. Freezing slows down enzyme processes, but it doesn’t stop them. Blanching is recommended to assure vegetables will taste as fresh as possible after they have been frozen.

That’s because blanching stops enzyme activity. Enzymes in produce help it ripen, and continue to do their work even after the produce has been picked. By stopping the enzyme action, blanching prevents the produce from becoming overripe. Blanching also helps retain color, flavor, texture and nutrients. Blanching also helps remove dirt and small organisms from the produce.

It is important to look up the specific amount of time each vegetable needs to be blanched and follow those guidelines. If the vegetable is under-blanched, it can actually speed up the enzyme processes. If the vegetable is over-blanched, the nutritional value, flavor, color and texture can be negatively affected.

Blanching is also an important step in dehydrating vegetables. Learn more in this publication from the University of Georgia.

Information on blanching various vegetables can be found in these recipe resources at Preserve it Fresh, Preserve it Safe.

Reference to any specific commercial products, process, service, manufacturer, or company does not constitute its endorsement or recommendation. Paid for by Kansas State University