January 2022 – You Asked It!

Category: January 2022

Direct to Consumer/Farmers Market Conference

Posted on December 15, 2021 by Karen Blakeslee

The Farmers Market/Direct-to-Consumer Sales Conference, held in partnership by K-State Research and Extension and the Kansas Department of Agriculture, will be held January 31-February 4, 2022.

This year, participants can join the conference virtually from their location or join with others at one of 17 “watch parties” at various Extension offices across Kansas. We thank those locations for offering to host these sessions.

January 31, 2022: Food Safety for Value-Added Food Products

February 1, 2022: Sales Tax, Food Packaging, and How to Care for your Certified Scales

February 2, 2022: Meat and Poultry, Kansas Value Added Meats Lab

February 3, 2022: Accepting EBT/SNAP & Double Up Food Bucks

The half-day workshop on February 4, 2021, 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. will cover topics such as How to Market your Market and Booth, How to Identify Common Legal Risks, Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, Vegetable Production, From the Land of Kansas program, and resources available from KSRE. Keynote speaker Brian Coppom, Colorado Department of Agriculture, will discuss Best Practices for Business Success for farmers’ markets.

KDA’s weights and measures program will offer free scale certification with a paid registration to an online workshop.

New Director of NCHFP

Posted on December 15, 2021 by Karen Blakeslee

The University of Georgia has announced the new director of the National Center for Home Food Preservation will be Dr. Carla Schwan as an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in food safety and home food preservation.

Dr. Schwan recently completed her PhD and post-doctoral research at Kansas State University. Her work has been in international public health issues, foodborne illness, antimicrobial resistance in foodborne pathogens and global food security.

Dr. Schwan states “It truly is a dream come true!” Learn more in this press release.

After a Food Recall, Cleaning is Key

Posted on December 15, 2021 by Karen Blakeslee

Food recalls occur about every day. Most you don’t hear about or may not affect your grocery stores. In the event you have food in a recall, it is important to prevent cross-contamination by cleaning.

First, remove the recalled food from your storage location. Throw it away per instructions in the recall notice, or take it back to the store for a refund. Many stores will contact you about a recall or you may see a notice on your store receipt.

Clean counters, cabinets and refrigerator drawers and shelves. Use hot soapy water where possible. Then sanitize with a simple bleach solution of 1 tablespoon liquid bleach in 1 gallon of water. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a step-by-step guide to clean your refrigerator.

Don’t forget to wash your hands after cleaning and especially after handling the recalled food. Wash any towels and washcloths in hot soapy water before using them again.

Learn more at Recalls and Outbreaks from FoodSafety.gov.

Keep or Toss? Food Safety After Power Outage

Posted on December 15, 2021 by Karen Blakeslee

Winter weather is approaching, so here are some reminders to keep food safe during a power outage.

Plan now! Keep an appliance thermometer inside the refrigerator and freezer. Keep the freezer full to keep foods frozen longer. Freeze refrigerated foods you don’t need right away.

During a power outage, keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. A full freezer will hold temperature about 48 hours.

After a power outage, when in doubt, throw it out! Some foods can be saved, others should not be used.

Never taste food to determine its safety! Learn more about power outage food safety at www.ksre.k-state.edu/foodsafety/topics/disaster.html.

Swirls of Spaghetti!

Posted on December 15, 2021 by Karen Blakeslee

Spaghetti is America’s favorite shape of pasta. While commonly paired with a red meat sauce, spaghetti is found in many other recipes including stir-fry meals, casseroles, and salads. Pasta is a fat-free, low sodium food. With whole grain pasta options, more nutrition can easily be added to a meal.

One of the hardest decisions to make when using spaghetti is how much dry spaghetti is needed. For long shapes, including angel hair, linguine, vermicelli, and fettuccine, use this guide:

2 ounces dry long pasta = a ½-inch diameter bunch = 1 cup cooked

To cook pasta, use 4-6 quarts water per pound of pasta and bring to a boil. Add pasta, stir, and return to a boil. Stir occasionally. Perfectly cooked pasta is “al dente,” or firm to the bite. For recipes with extra cooking time, undercook the pasta by 1/3 of the cooking time.

Learn more about pasta at https://sharethepasta.org/.

What is Clostridium perfringens?

Posted on December 15, 2021 by Karen Blakeslee

slow cooker — Serving soup for the holidays? Slow cookers work well to keep soup at safe temperatures.

Clostridium perfringens bacteria are one of the most common causes of foodborne illness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates these bacteria cause nearly 1 million illnesses in the United States every year.

With soup season upon us, these large batches of thick hot food can be trouble. If the soup is not held above 140°F or not chilled to below 40°F in small batches, then the potential for C. perfringens growth increases. If this bacteria makes spores, which act like a protective coating to help bacteria survive, and food held between 40-140°F will allow the bacteria to grow. It can produce a toxin which can cause foodborne illness symptoms such as diarrhea. Illness can occur within 6 to 24 hours after eating contaminated food.

Prevention steps include cooking soups, whole roasts and whole poultry to safe temperatures. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Refrigerate leftovers, divided into shallow containers, within two hours after cooking. Reheat leftovers to 165°F before serving.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Prevent Illness from C. perfringens.

Venison Cuts and Cooking Methods

Posted on December 15, 2021 by Karen Blakeslee

Penn State University has a general guide to basic cuts of venison. Consumers may choose to cut their venison other ways. But the bottom line, food safety is important regardless of the fabrication methods used.

As with other animal meats, venison can have foodborne pathogens. Be sure that ground venison is cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F.

It is not recommended to trim venison meat away from the ribcage (between ribs) due to possible pathogen contamination in the carcass cavity.

Lean round cuts are best for making whole-muscle jerky. When making any meat jerky, the cuts of meat must be heated to 165°F. Underheated jerky can lead to foodborne illness. Learn more in the publication Dry Meat Safely at Home.

Raise a Safe Glass of Eggnog for New Year’s Eve

Posted on December 15, 2021 by Karen Blakeslee

Eggnog is a holiday party classic that dates back to the 13th century. This creamy, thick, spiced egg drink is a favorite for many worldwide.

Because eggnog uses eggs, there are ways to make it safely to prevent giving the gift of foodborne illness. And don’t let the added alcohol fool you! The alcohol will not kill bacteria.

Instead of using raw eggs, use pasteurized eggs. They have been commercially pasteurized with a low temperature heat treatment that destroys Salmonella without changing the physical and nutritional properties of the eggs. They are slightly higher in cost to standard eggs, but are worth the price to prevent foodborne illness. Egg substitutes are also an option.

Another, and even safer, method is to make a cooked egg base.

Combine eggs and half the milk. Sugar may be added also.
Cook the mixture to 160°F, stirring constantly. Use a double boiler to prevent scorching.
After cooking, pour into a bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill.
Add remaining ingredients and enjoy!

If buying prepared eggnog, read the label to be sure it is pasteurized.

Sources: https://bit.ly/3yoWJzX and https://eggsafety.org/national-eggnog-month-make-safely/

What is Marmalade?

Posted on December 15, 2021 by Karen Blakeslee

A marmalade is a sweet spread that is defined as a fruit jelly with small pieces or slices of fruit or fruit peel suspended in the jelly. Marmalades traditionally contain citrus fruit.

Citrus, such as oranges and lemons, have natural pectin. So many marmalade recipes do not include added pectin for form a gel. Therefore, a tested recipe is best to get the best results for a tasty home-canned marmalade. It is a balance of acid, sugar, pectin, and fruit to get the best result.

Marmalade recipes are available from the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Orange Marmalade

Category: January 2022

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