K-State Research and Extension

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You Asked It!

Author: Karen Blakeslee

The Rapid Response Center was formed in 1995 as a resource for Kansas State University Research & Extension Agents. Resource topics included Food Science, Human Nutrition, Food Service, Textiles, Home Care and other consumer topics. Since that time, the Center has grown to be of valuable assistance to Kansas State University Extension Specialists in those areas.

Don’t Ignore Food Recalls

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
carrots
Photo: USDA Flickr

There have been a few food recalls in the news lately, with the latest recall linked to organic carrots. A recall is issued to inform consumers to look through their pantry, refrigerator or freezer and identify any foods in the recall. Research has shown that fewer than 60% of Americans check their homes for recalled food. If you have a recalled food, what should you do?

  1. Don’t panic! Most food recalls are not associated with a foodborne illness outbreak, and many recalls are issued because there is a potential for the food to be contaminated. Often, food manufacturers issue a recall as a precautionary measure. Besides bacterial contamination, recalls are issued for many others reasons such physical contamination or food allergen issues.
  2. Don’t open the food. Resist the temptation to open the food and check it. You can’t see, smell, or taste the bacteria or viruses that cause foodborne illnesses. If you do open or handle the product, remember to wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap for 20 seconds after handling it.
  3. Check the recall notice to find out what to do with the food. When a manufacturer recalls a food product, they provide instructions on what to do with the product. Typically, the instructions will indicate that you need to do one of the following:
    • Return the product to the store where you bought it for a refund.
    • Dispose of the product properly so that other people or animals cannot eat it. (This is particularly important if you opened the product.) 

For information on the latest food recalls, see the Food and Drug Administration website.

It’s Cookie Time!

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
cookie dough
It’s not just the raw eggs that cause food safety problems. All kinds of flour are raw and must be baked for safe consumption. Photo: FDA ARS

The holidays bring the joy of time with family and friends! One tradition is making cookies to share. It is important to handle cookie dough safely to not spoil holiday fun.

You may not realize it, but most flour is a raw food. And it hasn’t been treated to kill any bacteria (germs) it may contain. Cooking and baking is what kills any bacteria in flour, as well as in raw eggs that are often used with it.

To stay safe, don’t eat or taste raw (uncooked) flour, dough or batter. Also, don’t let children use raw dough for crafts or “play clay.” Even if children don’t eat the dough, they may put their hands in their mouth after handling it.

Many cookies are shaped with your hands. Resist the temptation to lick your fingers or sample the cookie dough! Risks from eating raw eggs and now uncooked flour, can increase your risk of getting a foodborne illness. Regardless of the brand or source of flour or eggs, the risk of foodborne illness is present when consumed raw.

Be sure hard surfaces to roll out cookie dough are clean and sanitized before and after dough has been in contact with the surface.

As always, wash your hands before and after handling cookie dough or any raw foods. Follow recipe instructions for baking cookies at proper temperatures and specified times.

Learn more from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Tips for Freezing Pie

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Photo: KSRE

Save some meal prep time this holiday season by freezing pie ahead of the holiday meal. There are options to make baking easier. Here are many tips from Penn State University Extension.

Freezing Pie Dough

  • Pie dough can be rolled into circles and frozen flat on lined cardboard separated with pieces of freezer paper or foil.
  • To freeze unbaked dough in pie pans, stack pie pans with two layers of freezer paper between them and place all in a freezer bag.
  • Prick pastry that will be baked unfilled. Pricking a frozen pastry will cause it to break.
  • Do not prick pastry that will be filled before baking.
  • To use frozen sheets of dough, thaw in the refrigerator before shaping to the pan.
  • Pastry shaped in pans before freezing does not need to be thawed before baking.

Freezing Shaped Pie Filling

  • Freezing a pie in a pie pan takes lots of space and ties up the use of that pan.
  • Freeze the pre-measured fruit filling for one pie in a large freezer bag or foil-lined pan.
  • Before adding the cooled filling, plastic wrap can be placed over the foil in the pie pan to avoid filling sticking to the foil.
  • Dot with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg if desired.
  • If freezing the filling in a freezer bag, squeeze out the air, then seal.
  • Place the bag into the pie pan, shaping it to fit the pan, and freeze until solid.
  • When the filling is frozen, remove it from the pan. This way, you can continue to use the pie pan and yet have everything mixed ahead to put into fresh pie dough.
  • When you are ready to use the pie, unwrap and place the frozen filling in an unbaked pie shell, top, and bake. Allow an extra 20–25 minutes of baking time.

Freezing Prepared Pie

  • Unbaked pies have a fresher fruit flavor than ones baked before freezing.
  • Freeze the filling and crust separately to prevent fruit juice from penetrating and softening the lower crust during freezing.
  • It is easier to freeze pies before wrapping, whether baked or unbaked. Wrap them after they are frozen solid.
  • Do not cut vents in the top crust of an unbaked pie before freezing.
  • Cut vent holes in the upper crust just before baking.

Baking Frozen Pie

  • Bake frozen pies in the lower third of a preheated oven for 25 minutes at 425°F and then reduce the heat to 350°F and raise the pie to the center of the oven to finish baking.
  • Some people prefer baking at 450°F for 15 to 20 minutes and then reducing heat to 375°F for 20 to 30 minutes or until the top crust is brown.
  • Placing the pie on a cookie sheet or pie drip pan helps catch juices that might overflow.
  • A baked pie that has been frozen can be served without reheating; thaw it in its wrapping in the refrigerator.

Mailing Holiday Food Gifts

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
mailing food
Photo: Canva.com

Recieving a care package with food during the holidays can bring a taste of home and comfort. But, it is important the food arrives safe. Here are some tips to keep in mind.

  • Ship in a sturdy box with packing to prevent breakage.
  • Perishable foods must be packed with a cold source, i.e., frozen gel packs or dry ice.
  • When using dry ice:
    • Don’t touch the dry ice with bare hands.
    • Don’t let it come in direct contact with food.
    • Warn the recipient of its use by writing “Contains Dry Ice” on the outside of the box.
  • Use permanent markers to label outside of the box. Use recommended packing tape.
  • Label outside clearly; make sure address is complete and correct.
  • Write “Keep Refrigerated” on outside of the box.
  • Alert recipient of its expected arrival.
  • Do not send to business addresses or where there will not be adequate refrigerator storage.
  • Do not send packages at the end of the week. Send them at the beginning of the week so they do not sit in the post office or mailing facility over the weekend.
  • Whenever possible, send foods that do not require refrigeration, e.g., hard salami, hard cheese, country ham.

For more information, go to the USDA Mail Order Food Safety website. Also, search shipping company websites for more information and best practices.

Healthy Eating Includes Holiday Meals

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
holiday cookies
Happy Holidays!
Photo: Canva.com

Holiday parties and big family meals may tempt us away from our healthy eating habits. Allow yourself to have your favorite foods but stick to smaller servings and balance them with healthier options.

Do you have several parties to attend? Plan ahead to help reduce those extra calories. Eat a small meal for breakfast with whole grains, fruit and protein. Don’t starve yourself thinking you’ll save room for party food. Take small bites and savor the delicious party foods. Go through the buffet once to reduce nibbling.

Staying active can help you keep a healthy weight during the holiday season. Look for opportunities to work physical activities into your holiday: Go for a stroll after a family meal, take a walk at the mall, or dance to your favorite holiday music.  Aim to get at least 150 minutes a week of physical activity. For example, that could be at least 20 minutes a day or 30 minutes five days a week.  It’s important to move more and sit less.

Take simple steps to protect your family’s health when you prepare and serve holiday meals such as:

  • Wash your hands and work surfaces before, during, and after preparing food, and before eating.
  • Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separated during preparation.
  • Cook food at the right internal temperature to kill harmful germs. Use a food thermometer to check.
  • Refrigerate perishable foods, including leftovers, within two hours of buying or cooking.

Going Nuts!

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Pecans
Pecans
Photo: USDA Flickr

Nuts store very well by properly drying and storing in air-tight containers in a cool location. Refrigerated (at 32-45°F) nuts will maintain quality for one year and frozen (at 0°F) nuts will maintain quality for 1, 2, or even 3 years depending on the type of nut. The University of California has more specific information about harvesting and storing different types of nuts.

It is no longer recommended to can dry nuts alone. This is due to risk of condensation from the canning process leading to bacterial growth. A better option is to vacuum pack dry, shelled nuts.

Smaller quantities of nuts can be used in a jam-like product called conserves. Here are some ideas to make and preserve these at home from the University of Georgia National Center for Home Food Preservation.

After the Hunt

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

Field to FreezerHunting season is in full swing for a variety of wild game species. Take time to safely handle and preserve wild game to safely provide wholesome and nourishing food for family and friends.

Key factors in keeping field dressed wild game safe are temperature control and preventing cross contamination. Meat is susceptible to foodborne pathogen contamination such as E. coli or Salmonella. This can come from the surroundings, from the gastrointestinal tract, or other handling and transport.

Start with proper equipment when going out hunting. Suggested equipment includes:

  • Sharp knives
  • Small hatchet
  • Several feet of rope or nylon cord
  • Rubber bands
  • Clean towels or paper towels
  • Resealable bags
  • Large cooler with lots of ice
  • Disposable plastic gloves
  • Fresh water

Field dress as soon as possible and chill the carcass quickly with ice or snow. Learn more information at www.rrc.k-state.edu/preservation/canning.html in the Canning Low Acid Foods section. For more resources, including freezing meat, see https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/foodsafety/topics/animal.html#game.

All Things Turkey

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

Turkey is about to become front and center on many holiday tables. Here are some resources to help keep the gift of foodborne illness away from your celebrations.

Let’s Talk Turkey—A guide to safely prepping and roasting turkey.

Stuffing and Food Safety—Whether you call it stuffing, filling or dressing, it requires safe handling and cooking. It is best to cook this tasty side dish outside of the turkey.

Other tips include:

Turkey Temp

Tips on Saving Leftovers

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

Leftovers are either loved or hated. But leftovers can save you meal prep time when you need a meal in a hurry. So what are the options for saving leftovers?

  1. If perishable foods have been left at room temperature (above 40°F) for more than two hours, they should not be saved. Best practice is to refrigerate leftovers within two hours and use or freeze the leftovers within four days time.
  2. Many foods can be frozen for later use. Divide into small portions and package in freezer safe packaging such as freezer bags or plastic containers designated for the freezer. Remove as much air as possible for best results. Thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator or reheat in the microwave for a quick meal.
  3. There are no recommendations to home can leftovers. No safe tested process has ever been developed for this type of canned food. The heat processing can greatly decrease the quality also. As a reminder, there are no safe canning methods for re-canning larger containers of canned food. Learn more at https://nchfp.uga.edu/faqs/miscellaneous-questions/category/faq-canning.

leftovers

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