K-State Research and Extension

Gathering friends and family is fun, but beware of uninvited party guests. Foodborne germs can crash your buffet and make people sick with food poisoning. When cooking, preparing, or serving food for large groups, follow these steps to keep food safe.

• Keep your hands and surfaces clean. Washing your hands is one of the most important prevention methods to prevent foodborne illness.
• Separate raw meats from other foods. Prevent cross contamination by using separate or clean utensils and dishes. Keep raw meat packed in their own package and even a separate ice chest.
• A food thermometer is your friend! Use it to check doneness of meats and to keep foods out of the temperature danger zone between 40-140°F.
• Check the clock and use the 2-hour rule. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods. A food thermometer is a handy tool for this step!
• Store leftovers promptly and divide large amounts of food into smaller containers before placing on ice or in the refrigerator.

Learn more at https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/serving-food-safely.html.

Did you miss out on the Field-to-Fork webinars offered by North Dakota State University Extension? You are in luck! The recordings are all available.

Take an hour break and listen to these webinars which are focused on growing, preparing, preserving and selling vegetables and fruits. They are a multidisiplinary, multi-state effort to get experitise. Along with the 2024 webinars, there are recordings from previous years.

All food, just like everything else in the world, is made of chemicals. What is important to remember is how much of a chemical is in food AND how much a person eats or drinks. Bottom line, it’s the amount that counts. Foods contain nutrients, which are chemicals and are important for a healthy, balanced diet.

Reading or hearing about chemicals in food, when combined with words like “toxic,” “extremely dangerous” and “cancer-causing” may be scary, especially if you aren’t getting all the facts.

Here are a few points to help you navigate information about chemicals in food:

• More complete information from a credible medical and scientific source would likely explain how much of the chemical is in the food, how much of a food someone actually eats or drinks and whether the chemical is present at a level that is harmful to people.
• Chemical names may sound complicated but that does not mean they are not safe. Some may be ingredients you are familiar with. For example, tocopherols are vitamin E, sodium chloride is salt, and dihydrogen monoxide is water.
• Some chemicals safely used in food may have other non-food uses. For example, vinegar is used as a household cleaner but also is used in small amounts in food. If used in food, a chemical must meet the FDA’s safety standard.

You have choices to make. Eat a variety of nutrient-dense foods to have a well balanced diet.

Learn more at https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/food-safe-if-it-has-chemicals.