Confusion continues over food labels

I grew up with tuna fish. My kids eat tuna fish sandwiches pretty regularly but we always look at the labels. Flipper was a great show so I like to make sure our tuna is first "dolphin-free" and second is in water not oils.

Now it seems that the World Trade Organizations has presented rulings on the labeling issue. In September and November, two dispute panels for the World Trade Organization in Switzerland sided in part with Mexico and Canada on complaints against the voluntary dolphin-safe label and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL).

 According to the news reports Mexico argued that U.S. dolphin-safe standards are misleading and discriminate against the controversial fishing techniques that Mexico employs to catch tuna. In turn, Canada argued that the COOL program discriminates against imported cattle and hogs.

Reactions to these rulings all all over the board from tranquil to outraged. More and more people are concerned with the foods they eat but this is a confusing issue. The Washington Post has a story that will help lessen some of the confusion. The U.S. Trade Representative, the agency which handles dispute cases before the World Trade Organization and trade issues, also has a lot of information on this issue and others.

Don't drop the ball on food safety in 2012

As the year 2011 winds down, don’t drop the ball in 2012 on food safety at home. Make sure that you follow some simple steps that will keep your family and friends food safe.

Resolve to:

• Keep hands and work surfaces clean.
• Separate raw meats, eggs and seafood from other foods. 
• Not cross contaminate
• Refrigerate any food that should be refrigerated, including pie, within two hours.
• Not use unpasteurized eggs or egg products for any recipe calling for raw eggs, and cook foods to a safe internal temperature.
• Use a food thermometer to ensure that meat, poultry, and fish achieve a safe internal temperature; turkey and stuffing should both be 165 degrees Fahrenheit. 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have many resources available to consumers. The AVMA also have a variety of information available at www.avma.org.

As you are writing those New Year resolutions, make sure food safety is at the top of your list.

Don’t let the Scrooge ruin your holidays!

It's hard to believe, but the holiday season is upon us already. Smiling faces, decorated stores, and the general holiday hustle and bustle fill the air. How can you celebrate the season, keep traditions, share cultural differences, and end the year with a good vibe? Don’t let the scrooge ruin that holiday meal. Keep your parties and meals food safe by following the food safety list.

The holidays are about sharing, but one thing we shouldn’t share is food-borne illness.

Here are a few tips to follow:

*If you buy seafood, make sure it has been refrigerated properly or has been properly iced.

*Be careful with perishable food items and gifts.

*Make sure you have a food thermometer handy so you can determine if your roast, turkey and other holiday meats have reached a safe temperature.

*Don’t leave the food out too long and always refrigerate leftovers within two hours.

*Properly thawing and cooking your foods will help you avoid food-borne illness.

*Don't spread bacteria from one food product to another by separating your holiday foods in your refrigerator.

*Wash your hands thoroughly and often -- before, during, and after your food preparation to minimize any possible bacterial contamination.

*Keep your hot food hot and cold food cold.

The holidays bring out the baker in all of us – all those cakes, gingerbread cookies, and breads. We know it’s tempting, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends you not eat that uncooked cookie dough or other homemade batters made with raw fresh eggs. Raw fresh eggs can contain bacteria that can make you sick through the holidays. We all love that eggnog, especially when it has a touch of rum in the recipe, but be careful with the raw eggs. If any of your holiday recipes call for uncooked or lightly cooked eggs, modify your recipes by cooking the eggs thoroughly. No matter the beverage you will be serving, make sure it is pasteurized.

There are lots of resources available to help you celebrate the holidays safely. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has put together a lot of holiday helpful hints with their seasonal food safety guides. The Partnership for Food Safety has an education website that can help you out with food safety guides and tips.

The FDA's Food Information Line is 1-888-SAFEFOOD (1-888-723-3366) and the USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline is also available at 1-800-535-4555.  The TTY number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-256-7072.

Santa checks his lists twice, so make sure to check your food safety list to make your holiday food safe.

 

 

Podcast: Food Trucks: Are They Safe?

You don’t have to go to New York to find the next culinary craze. Some of the most popular places to eat are parked on streets in cities all across the country.

These mobile bistros, known as food trucks, provide everything from a simple sandwich at the local soccer game to gourmet fare in a downtown business district. But are they safe?

In this new Chew on This podcast, Dr. Patty Bennett of the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service dishes out information on food safety for food trucks.

Target food safety during hunting season

When I think of Thanksgiving I also think of hunting season. One of my family’s traditions growing up was to participate in a Thanksgiving morning hunt, for wild turkey or deer. Although we do not do our annual turkey day hunt anymore, the vivid foliage, colder temperatures and approaching holiday always bring me back to those days.

As hunting season gets going across the country, hunters need to not only follow hunting safety measures but make sure to follow food safety rules after the hunt to prevent potentially harmful foodborne disease.

In this Chew on This podcast, Dr. Jeff Bender, director of the Center for Animal Health and Food Safety at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, talks about what you need to do before you bring home that deer or wild turkey for dinner.

There is a lot of information available to help you learn how to reduce your risk of illness from wild game. AVMA's public health webpages provide information for hunters on the risks they face along with steps they can take to reduce those risks. The CDC also provides tips on how to avoid getting sick, what you need to know about field dressing your wild game and what you need to know about food preparation, cooking and storage. The USDA also has resources available through its Food Safety Education pages. 

 

Scare those Halloween bacteria and make sure this Halloween isn’t a food safety trick!

What could be more fun than trick-or-treating, apple bobbing or costume parties? Children and adults alike should have a great time this Halloween, but it is important to make sure all those tricks and treats are safe.

Make sure you give your ghosts, goblins and witches a light meal or snack before they head out to the neighborhood to trick or treat. This way they won’t be tempted to snack on the candy until they get home and you can inspect the bags. Let the children know to only accept candy and treats that are commercially wrapped. Inspect commercially wrapped treats for signs of tampering, such as an unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes, or tears in wrappers. Throw away anything that looks suspicious.

An all-time favorite game – bobbing for apples! You can say “boo” to bacteria that can cause illness by first thoroughly rinsing the apples under cool running water.

FightBAC.org even has a new take on the old favorite. Cut out lots of apples from red construction paper. On each apple, write activities for kids, such as “do five jumping jacks.” Place a paper clip on each apple and put them in a large basket. Tie a magnet to a string. Let the children take turns “bobbing” with their magnet and doing the activity written on their apple. Give children a fresh apple for participating.

Scare away those bacteria that can haunt your parties. Make sure your cider or other drinks are pasteurized and keep all perishable foods chilled until it’s party time. These include finger sandwiches, cheese platters, fruit or tossed salads, cold pasta dishes with meat, poultry, or seafood, and cream pies or cakes with whipped-cream and cream-cheese frostings.

Make sure your Halloween is a safe one. Check out the Food and Drug Administration’s Consumer pages for more information.