Extension News: Food safety Archives

Thinking about canning the abundance from your garden, CSA, or local farm stand?

Before you harvest, make sure you're using current canning information and tested recipes. And make sure your equipment is in good working order.

Test your pressure canner
Test the pressure-canner dial gauge for accuracy each year before the canning season.

Home food-preservers with Presto-made pressure canners* may bring their Pressure Dial Gauge or Pressure Tru Indicator to a UNH Cooperative Extension county office for testing.

Please call your county Extension office in advance, rather than just walking in with your pressure gauge. If your county isn't conducting testing this year, the Family & Consumer Resources educator there can refer you to a site that will. The educator doing the testing can also inspect your equipment and provide you with recommendations for use based on its condition.

Although weighted-gauge types of pressure canners don't require testing for accuracy, replace the weighted gauge if it's damaged in any way.

*Brand names manufactured by National Presto Industries include: Magic Seal, Maid of Honor, Presto, and National.

Canning workshops scheduled
Although these workshops focus on water-bath canning, but instructors will answer questions about pressure canning, freezing, and drying. (Keep checking this space, as more workshops will be scheduled as the season progresses.)

• August 13: Yes You Can, Exeter Seacoast Farmers Market, Exeter, 2:15 p.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call Claudia Boozer-Blasco 679-5616
• August 13: Yes You Can--Preserving Food at Home, Green Thumb Nursery, Rte 116, North Haverhill, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, call Deb Maes at 787-6944
• August 15: Yes You Can, Seacoast Farmers Market, Portsmouth, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, call Claudia Boozer-Blasco at 679-5616.
• August 18: Yes You Can, Tracy Library, New London, 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. For more information, call Marilyn Sullivan, 225-5505.
• August 18: Yes You Can, Applecrest Farm Orchards, 133 Exeter Road, Hampton Falls, 11:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. For more information, call Claudia Boozer-Blasco at 679-5616.
• August 20: Yes You Can, Wesley United Methodist Church, Clinton Street, Concord, 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Small fee will be charged. Registration handled by the Concord Cooperative Market. Call Ruth Smith at 410-3099 for more information.
• August 25: Yes You Can, Rye Public Library, 581 Washington Road, Rye, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. For more information, call Claudia Boozer-Blasco at 679-5616.
• September 16: Yes You Can, Massabesic Audubon Center, 26 Audubon Way, Auburn, 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Small fee will be charged. Registration handled by the Massabesic Audubon Center. Call 668-2045 for more information.
• September 17: Preserving Your Harvest, New Hampshire Technical Institute, Sweeney Building (student center) Room 225, 31 College Drive, Concord, 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. For more information, call Marilyn Sullivan at 225-5505.
  

Photo credit: podchef at Flickr. Some rights reserved.

State and federal agencies are conducting an active and thorough investigation into the recent Salmonella Typhimurium foodborne illness outbreak making headlines across the nation.

Symptoms and progress of infection
Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours later. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days.

Although most people recover without treatment, severe illness may develop in vulnerable individuals such as infants, older adults, and people with impaired immune systems.

Origin of outbreak and sources of contamination
The source of the contamination was traced to a plant in Georgia which makes peanut butter and "peanut paste" sold to institutions such as long-term care facilities and cafeterias.

The peanut butter and paste are also used as ingredients in the manufacture of many other food products such as cookies, crackers, cereal, candy, ice cream and sports and nutrition bars. As a result, the Georgia plant has recalled all peanut products produced since July 1, 2008 and has stopped further production.

Since January 16, 2009, companies using the peanut butter or paste have begun recalling their products because of potential Salmonella contamination.

Peanut butter in jars OK
Since the peanut butter wasn't sold directly to consumers, major national brands of jarred peanut butter aren't included in the recall.

Learn more about this nationwide foodborne illness outbreak and which foods have been recalled:

U.S. Food and Drug Administration All the latest information about the outbreak.
List of foods and brands that have been recalled
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Information on the outbreak with advice to consumers.

Cleaning out the refrigerator and checking your freezer for the safety of its contents don't often at rise to the top of your to-do list, but an extended power outage is a good time for these tasks.

These food safety tips can help:

• Keep appliance thermometers in the refrigerator and freezer at all times. Meat, poultry, fish, and eggs need to be refrigerated at or below 40 degrees F. Frozen foods need to be stored at or below 0 degrees F. Digital, dial, or instant-read food thermometers and appliance thermometers will help you know if the food is at safe temperatures.


• If you don't have an appliance thermometer, you can insert an instant-read food thermometer into the food and check its temperature.


• Keeping an appliance thermometer in the freezer will help you evaluate the safety of frozen foods. When the power comes back on, check the thermometer. If the temperature reads 40 degrees F or below, the food is safe and may be refrozen.


• If you don't have a thermometer in the freezer, check each package of food individually. Food is safe to refreeze if it still contains ice crystals. Partial thawing and refreezing may reduce the quality of some food, but the food will remain safe to eat.


• Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature. The refrigerator will keep food safely cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened. A full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed.


• For prolonged power outages, try to obtain dry or block ice to keep your refrigerator as cold as possible. Fifty pounds of dry ice should hold an 18-cubic foot full freezer for two days. Use caution when handling dry ice.


• Storing food outside isn't a good idea, even though the outside temperature is below 40 degrees F. Frozen food can thaw if exposed to the sun's rays, even when the temperature is very cold. Since the outside temperature could vary hour by hour, refrigerated food may become too warm and bacteria that cause foodborne illness could grow.


• Additionally, perishable items left outside could be exposed to unsanitary conditions or to animals. Never eat food that has come in contact with an animal.


• Rather than putting the food outside, consider taking advantage of cold temperatures by making ice. Fill buckets, empty milk cartons or cans with water and leave them outside to freeze. Then put the homemade ice in your refrigerator, freezer, or coolers.


• Discard any perishable food (e.g., meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers) that have been above 40 degrees F for 2 hours. Be sure to discard any items in either the freezer or the refrigerator that have come into contact with raw meat juices.


• Remember, you can't rely on appearance or odor to tell you whether a food is still safe to eat.

When in doubt, throw it out! It's much safer to throw out $150 worth of food than to spend $1000+ for a visit to the emergency room. Think of it as a great way to make room in your refrigerator for all the extra holiday foods. Have a happy, healthy and safe holiday season!

By Alice Mullen, Family & Consumer Resources Educator

More information

• Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency
• Food and Water in an Emergency
• Food Security and Emergency Preparedness





Posted December 15, 2008

1. Buy a quick-read food thermometer, if you don't have one already. You can purchase one in the grocery store when you are shopping for your holiday meal ingredients.
2. Allow 1 pound of turkey per person.
3. Buy fresh turkey one to two days before you plan to cook it. Store it in the refrigerator at 40°F or below until cooking. Place it on a tray to catch any meat juices that might leak.
4. Thaw your frozen turkey in the refrigerator (40°F or below). Allow approximately 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds. A 16- to 20-pound turkey will take 4 to 5 days to defrost, so plan ahead. Place it on a tray to catch any meat juices that might leak.
5. Wash hands, utensils, the sink, and anything else that comes in contact with raw turkey and its juices with soap and water. Keep everything clean to prevent cross contamination and the spread of harmful foodborne bacteria.
6. Set your oven temperature no lower than 325°F. Roasting turkey at a temperature lower than 325° can make the turkey unsafe to eat.
7. Cook your stuffing outside the turkey in a casserole for optimum safety. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the stuffing. The stuffing must reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F.
8. Cook your turkey to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F. An 18- to 20-pound turkey will take approximately 4 1/4 to 4/1/2 hours to cook.
9. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.
10. Remember the two-hour rule. Discard any turkey, stuffing, and gravy left out at room temperature longer than 2 hours.
11. Divide leftovers into smaller portions and store in small shallow containers. Cover containers, label, date and refrigerate or freeze.
12. Use refrigerated turkey and stuffing within 3 to 4 days. Use gravy within 1 to 2 days. If freezing leftovers, use within 2 to 6 months for best quality.
13. Reheat turkey and leftovers to an internal temperature of 165°F. To keep the turkey moist, add a little broth or water and cover.
14. Eat and enjoy your delicious Thanksgiving dinner.

We've noticed more lawns and backyards sprouting tomatoes, beans and zucchini this year.

Even small gardens can produce an overabundance of vegetables at the peak of their harvest season. Preserving the overflow can help you store high-quality food for later use.

Canning, freezing, drying, and common storage are the four main methods of preserving homegrown food. The method(s) you choose will depend on whether you can find safe preservation guidelines for the foods you want to preserve, whether you have the equipment and space needed to process and store your garden crops, how much it will cost, and whether you and your family like the preserved products.

If you have questions about preserving food safely, call our toll-free Into Line (1-877-398-4769), or check the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

If you plan to can any vegetable but tomatoes, pressure canning is the only safe method.

Pressure canners that have a dial gauge should be checked for accuracy yearly, and most have a rubber gasket that needs periodic replacement. You can have your dial gauge checked at the Family, Home & Garden Education Center in Manchester or at most county Extension offices.

Update August 6, 2007
Lakeside recalls green beans
On the heels of the Castleberry's canned-food recall last month (see below), the federal Food and Drug Administration recently posted a notice of recall for canned French-style green beans processed by Lakeside Foods, Inc. The company recalled the beans out of concern that a production error in May might have left beans in some cans undercooked or leaking.

Although no illnesses have been reported and no botulinum toxin has been found in any cans tested to date, Lakeside Foods initiated a voluntary recall of 15,000 cases of 14.5-ounce French Style Green Beans.

Consumers should return identified cans unopened to the place of purchase. Consumers are also warned not to use the product even if it does not look or smell spoiled.

Although New Hampshire was not listed in the state distribution list, consumers should check Lakeside's website for specific can codes. Anyone with questions may contact the company at 1-800-466-3834 Ext 4090. Code and label information will also be posted on their Web site www.lakesidefoods.com.

If you have severely dented cans of food, or cans dented on the bottom or side seam, discard the can. Also discard any cans with severe rust, bulging lids or leaks. Don't open or puncture cans that need to be discarded. Wear rubber or latex gloves when handling open containers of food that you think may be contaminated. Wash hands with soap and running water for at least 2 minutes after handling food or containers that may be contaminated.

Dispose of cans by placing in a sealable bag, wrapping another plastic bag around the sealable bag, and then taping tightly. Place bags in a trash receptacle for non-recyclable trash outside the home and out of reach of humans and pets.

When a foodborne illness makes people sick, the media quickly spread the word. This rapid communication helps protect public health by making consumers aware of the food to avoid.

The most recent headlines featured botulism, a very rare but serious illness caused by the toxin produced by the bacterium, Clostridium botulinum. Improperly prepared home-canned foods cause most cases of botulism.

In the recent botulism outbreak, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration confirmed that two of the cases and two potential cases involved individuals becoming sick after eating products canned by Castleberry's Food Co.

By July 25, the product recall had widened to more than 80 canned goods for people and four products for pets. All of those products, which include brands of chili sauce, chili, beef stew, and corned beef hash, are made by Castleberry's Food Co., but they bear various brand names.

Although investigation of the contamination is still underway, under-processing of the canned foods is a possible cause. As a result, Castleberry's has shut down a production line and recalled all products produced on it.

Symptoms of botulism
The botulinum toxin is highly toxic and can cause life-threatening illness and death. Symptoms of foodborne botulism usually appear 18 to 36 hours after eating a contaminated food, but they can begin as early as six hours or as late as 10 days.

Classic symptoms include double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and muscle weakness. If untreated, muscle weakness caused by the botulinum toxin can lead to paralysis of the arms, legs, trunk and respiratory muscles.

Paralysis of respiratory muscles can cause a person to stop breathing and die, unless the victim receives help breathing from mechanical ventilation.

Proper canning destroys botulinum spores
Clostridium botulinum grows best in low-oxygen, low-acid environments and at temperatures between 40°F and 120°F. Commercially canned foods or home-canned foods that haven't been processed correctly provide a perfect environment for botulism to grow.

The canning process removes oxygen from the container and allows their contents to reach a temperature high enough to destroy the spores formed by the botulism bacteria. If canned foods are under-processed and the spores survive, the spores will have the low-oxygen, low-acid environment they need to grow into vegetative cells, eventually producing the deadly toxin.

To prevent botulism:

• Discard all cans or jars of food with bulging or swollen ends, or bulging lids.
• Don't eat food from severely dented cans.
• Don't taste food from swollen containers, even if the food doesn't look or smell spoiled.
• Discard food that is foamy, moldy, or that has a bad odor or an off color.
• Follow current USDA canning guidelines when canning food at home.
• Can low-acid foods (low-acid vegetables and meats) in a pressure canner (to reach temperatures above boiling) for the recommended time for the size of jar you are using.
• Don't can low-acid foods in the oven, or in a water-bath, open kettle or vegetable cooker.
• Before eating home-canned, low-acid foods, heat to a rolling boil, then cover and boil corn, spinach and meats for 20 minutes and all other home-canned low-acid food for 10 minutes before tasting.
• When in doubt, throw it out. Follow CDC instructions for safe disposal of contaminated food.

Use a safe pressure canner for low-acid foods
If you have questions about safe home canning, using a pressure canner, or having the gauge on your pressure canner tested, call the Family & Consumer Resources educator in your county Extension office, or the Family, Home & Garden Education Center at 1-877-398-4769, Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

For more information:
Safe home canning
Questions on the Castleberry's product recall

By Alice Mullen, UNH Cooperative Extension Family & Consumer Resources educator