K-State Research and Extension

Consumers are bombarded every day with messages related to food. The challenge is knowing if those messages are fact or fiction.

To help clear the muddy messages, the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) has launched a new Food Facts website for consumers.

The resource features videos and fact sheets about food science for consumers. IFT member experts answer questions, address food myths and misconceptions, and talk about many topics within food science such as food safety, nutrition food chemistry and more.

Check out this new resource at:

www.ift.org/knowledge-center/learn-about-food-science/food-facts.aspx

If a vitamin supplement is needed to improve health, here are some tips when shopping for supplements. Look for the USP (U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention) Verified Mark. This mark means that the supplement:

• Contains the ingredients listed on the label, in the declared strength and amounts;
• Does not contain harmful levels of specified contaminants; and
• Is made according to FDA and USP Good Manufacturing Practices, using sanitary and well-controlled processes.

USP standards are enforced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. But, the use of the USP label is voluntary. Using the label signifies a commitment to good quality supplements. Learn more at www.usp.org/usp-verification-services

While vinegar has many culinary and household uses, drinking it as a “magic cure” for many illnesses or chronic illnesses may not be beneficial.

A few studies have been conducted, but none are conclusive of the health benefits. One study showed promise in weight loss. Another showed improvement in insulin action with diabetes. Another had improved blood sugar control, insulin levels, and high triglyceride levels in Type 2 diabetics. Other studies are not as positive. Consuming large amounts of vinegar can interact with medications, cause tooth decay, and gastrointestinal issues.

Learn more at:

http://bit.ly/1MymuUr

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1785201/

Add a little extra crunch to your meal by eating your cutlery! Sound crazy? Maybe not. A company in India, called Bakey’s, has developed edible cutlery to help reduce environmental waste.

The edible cutlery is made of a mix of sorghum, rice, and wheat flours. Flavors can be added, such as onion, tomato, garlic, and ginger. They are baked until dry but are not so hard they cannot be chewed. The unflavored cutlery does not dominate the flavors of the meal. They also hold up to liquids because of the high sorghum content. If eating them is not an option, they will degrade safely in any outside environment.

By eating the cutlery, the added benefit is nutrition. They contain fiber, iron, protein, calcium, folic acid and B vitamins.

Currently, edible cutlery is in the initial stages of production.

Learn more at www.bakeys.com/.

A current topic of interest is consuming avocado pits. While there are purported health benefits, there is not enough research to back up those proposed benefits.

Penn State University did some research and state “although the currently available data is promising, for most indications, it remains very preliminary and further studies are needed” and “In addition, the safety of the various extracts of the avocado seeds must be assessed in order to more fully estimate the usefulness of this resource.”

Therefore, it is not recommended to consume avocado pits.

Source: www.californiaavocado.com/blog/march-2016/is-it-safe-to-eat-the-avocado-seed

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has a resource to help parents and caregivers prepare healthy meals and snacks for kids ages 2 to 5.

Food Fun for Young Children includes recipes, newsletters, and other resources including topics for table talk and information on choking hazards. Sign up for their newsletter and follow their Pinterest board.

Learn more at:

http://food.unl.edu/food-fun-young-children

Hands on activities help people of all ages learn about science. The American Cleaning Institute wants to help you teach about “The Science Behind Soap.”

This new video and classroom activity is a part of the STEM program to get youth interested in science, technology, engineering and math.

The activity includes various stations to learn about different soap ingredients. With the use of colored sand, they can make their own “soap” and see how it works.

There is a lesson guide with detailed instructions, handouts for students, soap station printouts, a video about soap, and the Soap and Detergents book.

Learn more and get the free materials at:

www.cleaninginstitute.org/science/soapclassroom.aspx