Food Safety

I don't know about at your house, but at my house on these cold winter nights, nothing smells better than my dinner waiting in the slow cooker. This convenient appliance takes less electricity than an oven to make a one-pot meal. Although it cooks at a lower temperature, the direct heat, combined with the long cooking time and steam inside the tightly covered cooker, all combine to kill bacteria and make the slow cooker a safe process for cooking foods. We just need to be sure to follow a few instructions to keep us safe: - Start safely.

Chapter 1828 of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association met for their regular monthly meeting at noon, Tuesday, Oct. 23, at the Taste of China. Jennifer Howard, Clark County Extension agent for family and consumer sciences, was the guest speaker. She presented a program on food safety, and she also spoke about how to prepare an emergency kit to use in the event of a disaster. Present for the meeting were Kenneth Brown, Sheila Brown, Hilda Standafer, Otella Witt, Gaetta Ballard, Bev Allen, Floyd Gibbs, Pat Gibbs, Denver Parks, Donald  Spillman, Julia Dever, Will Bentley, Cindy Bentley, Ann C. Hall, Philip Jackson, Audrey King, Betty Hollon, Jean Brandenburg, Elizabeth Bunch, Fred Dulin, Teresa Dulin, R.B. Omohundro, Lila Omohundro, Grace Ingram, Larry Bosco, Martha Gaither, Steve Lech, Ruth Lech, Teri Lech and Jennifer Howard.

The traditional holiday turkey will be prepared by about 250 million households this year. To make that dinner safer for everyone to enjoy, there are a few safety precautions to take when preparing your next turkey dinner. Planning ahead will help reduce the risks of foodborne illness at your holiday table. If you purchase a fresh turkey, purchase only one to two days before cooking. Prestuffed fresh turkeys are not recommended by the US Department of Agriculture Food Safety Inspection Service.

Summer is here, and I know we are all enjoying as many outdoor activities as possible. But we don't want to be so involved in our activities that we forget to follow some basic food safety tips. By following a couple of simple steps we can ensure that our family will have a healthy summer. Always wash your hands. That's simple enough. But remember to do it often. Bacteria are present throughout the kitchen, on cutting boards, utensils, sponges and the counter tops. Wash your hands with hot, soapy water before and after using the bathroom, changing diapers and handling pets.

Protecting the health and safety of all who eat at Boyle County's food-service establishments is a top priority of the Boyle County Health Department. The health department routinely provides food safety training for the county's restaurant personnel, in addition to conducting at least two unannounced inspections each year. Key items of concern during inspections include employee practices and cleanliness, food protection during storage and preparation, cleaning and sanitizing of equipment and utensils, insect and rodent control, and the storage and use of toxic materials.

Millions of cases of foodborne illness occur in the United States each year. Don't let a case of food poisoning ruin your holiday season. With proper food handling practices you can protect yourself and your family from foodborne illnesses. â?¢ Keep everything that comes into contact with food clean. Be sure to wash your hands often, especially after handling raw meats. Clean and sanitize kitchen counters and cutting boards. Use clean dish towels, hand towels, dishes, and utensils.

Nearly one in five people you see could face special risks from food poisoning during the holidays. Especially vulnerable are those people over age 65, pregnant women, infants, and people with chronic illnesses. The good news is-most food borne illness can be prevented by safe food handling. One of the riskiest things people do is something we have seen our relatives do for decades - leave the cooked turkey and other foods out all day. Why is this a potential problem?

With Thanksgiving looming, and food generally a large part of the celebration, the Department for Public Health (DPH) wants you to keep safe health practices in mind. Many holiday dinners incorporate meat and poultry, both possible sources of foodborne disease unless handled and prepared properly. This holiday season, DPH urges you to take precautions in preparing food and to pay close attention to good hygiene. "Proper hand washing is the most effective way to keep food and guests safe," said Christine Atkinson, manager of DPH's food safety branch.

A lot of our food money is wasted when we do not follow food safety rules. If you allow food to spoil before it is eaten, you have thrown your money away. To help prevent waste try the following: - Select packages and cans that have not been opened or dented. - Check expiration dates. - Wash your hands and work surfaces with warm soapy water. - Use clean pots, pans and cooking utensils. - Keep the kitchen clean and free of bugs. - Keep shelf-stable foods in a cool dry place.

I don't know about at your house, but at my house on these cold winter nights, nothing smells better than my dinner waiting in the slow cooker. This convenient appliance takes less electricity than an oven to make a one-pot meal. Although it cooks at a lower temperature, the direct heat, combined with the long cooking time and steam inside the tightly covered cooker, all combine to kill bacteria and make the slow cooker a safe process for cooking foods. We just need to be sure to follow a few instructions to keep us safe: - Start safely.

The forecast for the remaining part of this week is centering on below zero wind chill temperatures. We often see that when that occurs so does the loss of power, either due to excessive usage or from other weather circumstances like high winds, snow or ice. Since we don't know how long the power can be out, keeping the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible, can help reduce the loss of food and the potential for foodborne illness....

Protecting the health and safety of all who eat at Boyle County's food-service establishments is a top priority of the Boyle County Health Department. The health department routinely provides food safety training for the county's restaurant personnel, in addition to conducting at least two unannounced inspections each year. Key items of concern during inspections include employee practices and cleanliness, food protection during storage and preparation, cleaning and sanitizing of equipment and utensils, insect and rodent control, and the storage and use of toxic materials.

Chapter 1828 of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association met for their regular monthly meeting at noon, Tuesday, Oct. 23, at the Taste of China. Jennifer Howard, Clark County Extension agent for family and consumer sciences, was the guest speaker. She presented a program on food safety, and she also spoke about how to prepare an emergency kit to use in the event of a disaster. Present for the meeting were Kenneth Brown, Sheila Brown, Hilda Standafer, Otella Witt, Gaetta Ballard, Bev Allen, Floyd Gibbs, Pat Gibbs, Denver Parks, Donald  Spillman, Julia Dever, Will Bentley, Cindy Bentley, Ann C. Hall, Philip Jackson, Audrey King, Betty Hollon, Jean Brandenburg, Elizabeth Bunch, Fred Dulin, Teresa Dulin, R.B. Omohundro, Lila Omohundro, Grace Ingram, Larry Bosco, Martha Gaither, Steve Lech, Ruth Lech, Teri Lech and Jennifer Howard.

As the Labor Day holiday approaches and you make plans for a big barbecue, don't forget to plan your food for safety. With the recent outbreak of salmonella from fresh cantaloupes, many people may not consider serving these fresh, ripe melons. Be assured that melons can be enjoyed safely and here's how: - Buy locally. Buying from a reputable source can actually reduce the chances of microorganisms growing on produce. - Wash your hands before and after handling fresh produce. - Rinse produce with cool running water.

Clear blue skies, fresh mountain air, and the peace and quiet of nature. Summer is a popular time to explore the great outdoors and for many that means camping! If you are planning a camping trip this summer, special camp cooking techniques and food safety are important to know. Below are five tips to keep in mind as you plan and enjoy your next trip outdoors. Research and plan ahead. This is the most important tip to a successful camping trip. Even though you will be away from home, making a meal plan for your camping trip is crucial to keeping your travel budget on track, as well as insures no one goes hungry and no ingredients are left behind.

As we get ready for a fall full of football and other fun activities, don't forget that food safety is a very important part of enjoying any outdoor eating experience. Since many of us want to spend time at the game and not a lot of hours cooking, here are a few tips and recipes we can follow to make our game plan a winner: - Wash your hands, utensils, and surfaces with hot soapy water before and after handling raw meat and poultry. - Keep raw meats and poultry separate from ready to eat foods to avoid cross contamination.

Summer barbeques are a fun way to celebrate many different occasions. However, if proper safety measures are not followed then that fun day of grilling can come to a quick end. Here are some important grilling safety tips to follow: When using a grill be sure and place it on a flat surface, away from fences, plants, overhangs, deck railings and buildings. Also, make sure and position the grill in a well-ventilated area. Light charcoal carefully.  Avoid pouring lighter fluid directly onto hot coals because flames could travel up the stream of fluid and cause a fire.

One in four Americans are sickened each year by tainted food; most recently, salmonella bearing eggs from two Iowa farms sickened 1,600 Americans, and forced the recall of a half billion eggs. Yep, that’s billion with a “B” out of just two farms. While Congress has leapt into action to put more laws on the books regarding food safety, neither the House nor Senate are addressing the real threat to our nation’s food security, the industrialization and centralization of food production in America.