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Category: May 2025

Food Allergy Awareness Week is May 11-17

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Nine food allergens
Nine food allergens – FDA

Chances are you know someone who has food allergies, including yourself. In fact, 53% of Americans have either a food allergy, food intolerance, and/or food sensitivity. This is significant and cannot be ignored.

The top nine food allergens, that are required to be declared on food packaging, include milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish, shellfish, and sesame. Nuts, seafood and shellfish are the most frequently reported food allergens. With these, specific species must be declared. For example, tree nuts must be declared as almonds, pecans, walnuts, etc. The same is true for the seafood and shellfish.

Accurate food labels are critically important. In a survey conducted by the International Food Information Council (IFIC), it found 67% of those surveyed said they trusted allergen labeling. The nine major food allergens must be declared within the ingredient statement or separately below the ingredient statement.

Some food manufacturers voluntarily add a “May Contain” statement. This is done because they may not be able to completely eliminate a food allergen during manufacturing.

Food Allergy Awareness Week, sponsored by the Food Allergy Research and Education organization, is emphasizing workplace education to help bring awareness to this important health issue.

Learn more about food allergens and management from the IFIC Food Allergens Toolkit.

NDSU Field to Fork Webinar – Food Preservation Toolkit

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Field to Fork
Participants will learn research-based information all the way from garden or field to the table.

The North Dakota State University Field to Fork webinar series has two more webinars scheduled for the 2025 season. Here are the dates and topics:

  • April 30 – Food Preservation Toolkit, Karen Blakeslee, Kansas State University Extension associate
  • May 7 – Healthy Soil, Healthy Food, Carlos Pires, NDSU Extension soil health specialist and assistant professor

To view other webinars in this series and to register for these final events, go to the North Dakota State University Field to Fork website.

Replacing Artificial Food Dyes in Foods

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

A recent ban to phase out Red dye No. 3 has now expanded to other artificial food colors. So which food colors are being eliminated and where are they used? These are typically found in candy, soda, baked goods, cereals, and also some vitamins and medications.

In a report from Virginia Tech, here is the target list, some food examples, and possible natural options.

  • Blue 1 and Blue 2
    • Blue 1 is found in products such as Cool Blue Gatorade, M&M’s and Baja Blast Mountain Dew. Blue 2 is also found in M&M’s and cereals such as Boo Berry.
    • Natural alternatives include extracts from blue-green algae, butterfly pea flowers, or gardenias.
  • Red 40
    • Red 40 is found in products such as M&M’s, cherry Jello-O, and strawberry Yoo-hoo.
    • Natural alternatives include juices and extracts from beets, red cabbage, hibiscus, red grapes, tomatoes, pomegrantes, and sweet potatoes or with carmine from chocnineal insects.
  • Yellow 5 and Yellow 6
    • Yellow 5 is found in products such as M&m’s, Baja Blast Mountain Dew, Sunny D and Doritos. Yellow 6 is found in M&M’s, Sunny D, Jolly Ranchers, Doritos, and Cheetos.
    • Natural alternatives include extracts from annatto, turmeric, paprika, caramel, carrot, pumpkin, or carotene.
  • Green 3
    • Green 3 is found in products such as lime sherbet and canned vegetables.
    • Natural alternatives include blue and yellow natural dyes.
  • Citrus Red 2 and Orange B
    • Citrus Red 2 is applied to the rind of navel oranges.
    • Orange B makes hot dog casings and sausages look more appealing.
    • There may not be a natural alternative for these.

There will be many challenges for food manufacturers to make these changes. Natural dyes are expensive and consumer acceptability is important. Natural colors don’t react well to heat or acidity. These changes will take time, but the initial goal is to phase out these colors by the end of 2026.

What are Microplastics?

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Microplastics
Photo: Canva.com

You may see news stories about the large amount of plastic waste in the ocean, lakes and streams. This plastic waste is visible and can have a negative environmental impact. But it is what you cannot see that can also be a problem, and that’s microplastics.

Microplastics are less than 5 millimeters in size, about the size of a pencil eraser, and can be divided into two types. The first type is small pieces, such as microbeads in personal care products or plastic pellets for manufacturing. The second type is tiny pieces of plastic that break or degrade off of large plastic items that are not disposed of properly.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, current scientific evidence does not indicate that levels of microplastics in foods pose a risk to human health. There are no standardized methods to detect, quantify, or characterize microplastics in foods.

But you can still do your part to take small simple steps to reduce plastic waste and usage. Here are some ideas from PennState Extension:

  • Use refillable water bottles made of stainless steel
  • Use reusable food containers.
  • Bring your own bags when shopping.
  • When using single-use plastics, such as plastic water bottles, recycle them properly.
  • Share practices that work for you!

Add More Flavor with Herbs!

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Fresh Basil
Photo: USDA Flickr

Fresh or dried herbs can add a lot of flavor and color to many meals. Herbs and spices are often referred to as seasonings, but they are different products.

Herbs are the leaves of plants that grow close to the ground, such as parsley, thyme, basil, oregano and more. While many gardeners grow their own herbs, there are purchasing options for herbs such as fresh, dried or as a paste. When using herbs in recipes, use this guide for approximate equivalent usage amounts:

  • 1 tablespoon finely cut fresh herbs
  • 1 teaspoon crumbled dried herbs
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground dried herbs

Spices are from various parts of plants and trees such as the bark, roots, seeds, berries or fruit. Examples include cinnamon, ginger, cloves, onions, garlic and more.

Make your own spice blends! Using these can replace some or all of the salt in many recipes to help reduce sodium intake. Many store-bought spice blends are high in sodium. So skip the salt and try these homemade spice blends from North Dakota State University Extension.

Store dried herbs and spices in a cool, dry, dark location. But the flavors can fade over time. In general, use dried herbs and spices withing 2-3 years.

To preserve herbs and spices, use these tips from PennState Extension.

Learn more from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension.

 

Fair Judging Resources for Foods and Food Preservation Exhibits

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Fair judging
Kansas State Fair, Photo: KSRE Flickr

Summer is getting closer which means county fair season is almost here!

Would you like to judge foods or food preservation? There are some tips and tricks to being an educated judge to education exhibitors to improve exhibits. This is a great opportunity for you to teach!

Another important factor is food safety. While there are thousands of recipes to choose from, not all are appropriate for the fair.

More information is on the Rapid Respone Center website in the Judging at Fairs section.

Extension agents, please send this information to all food and food preservation judges so they are informed.

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