The coronavirus pandemic is changing our lives in just about every way. From stores and restaurants closing to practicing social distancing, everyone is being forced to learn new habits and new ways of living. Is the coronavirus pandemic forcing you to cook? This is a great time to learn about food safety. In 2015, for the first time, Americans started spending more of their food budget on restaurant meals than grocery stores. While some groups will always cook from scratch, many people just don't do that anymore. So it's crucial that you learn about food safety as you are just starting to cook. You don't want to get food poisoning when hospitals are overwhelmed with pandemic patients, or any other time for that matter. Home cooks are the last line of defense against food … [Read more...]
Do You Know the Safe Minimum Temperatures For Meats and Poultry?
Food Poisoning Bulletin has been telling consumers for years about safe food handling to help prevent serious foodborne illness. Unfortunately, many raw meats and produce for sale in this country are contaminated with enough bacteria to make someone sick, so the consumers is the last defense against illness. How you handle and cook these foods is critical to your family's health. But do you know the safe minimum temperatures for these foods? First of all, every household should have a reliable and accurate food thermometer. And the cook or cooks in the family should know how to use one. The thermometer should be inserted into the thickest part of the food for the most accurate reading. That means it should be inserted thorough the side of a hamburger, and into the thickest part, … [Read more...]
Safe Recipe Style Guide Launched To Improve Cookbooks
A new tool for cookbook authors that is intended to improve consumers' food safety behaviors at home has been launched. Safe Recipe Style Guide was issued by the Partnership for Food Safety Education. It will be used for any recipe writer and provides specific recipe text to address food safety issues in home kitchens. The Safe Recipe Style Guide addresses the four major areas of food safety violations that occur in home kitchens, including temperature, handwashing, cross-contamination, and produce handling. Studies have shown that when consumers follow recipes that incorporate these basic instructions, they increase food safety behaviors. For instance, when a recipe writer wants to address doneness tests, they could write, "Cook until internal temperature reaches XX (fill in … [Read more...]
Crab and Lobster Cakes Recalled for Unsafe Temps
According to the FDA's Weekly Enforcement Report for the week of February 10, 2016, Albertson's LLC is recalling Dockside Classic Crab and Lobster Cakes because they may not have been transported at a safe temperature. If perishable foods are held at temperatures between 40°F and 140°F, pathogenic bacteria can grow. The recalled products are Dockside Classic 4 Gourmet Crab Cakes in 12 ounce packages. The UPC number is 045425165446. Also recalled is Dockside Classics 4 Gourmet Lobster Cakes in 12 ounce packages with UPC number 045425167143. These products were distributed to Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. If you purchased these products, do not eat them. Even if you reheat them, there's a possibility that bacteria grew and produced toxins that heat will not destroy. Throw the products … [Read more...]
More Beef Piroshki Recalled for Undercooked Meat
Galant Food Company, San Leandro, Calif. establishment, is recalling an additional 130 pounds of beef piroshki products because the meat filling used in the products did not meet its cooking critical limit. This recall is an expansion of a previously announced recall. The expanded recall includes 6.5-oz. Paramount Beef and Cheese Piroshki sold 12 per case, with case codes 092214; and 7-oz. Galinas Original Beef and Cheese Piroshki, sold 12 per case, with case codes 092314. The recalled products, marked with establishment number “EST. 9014,” were produced Sept. 22 through 23, 2014 and then shipped to a distributor in the San Francisco Bay area. There have been no reports of illness associated with the recalled items, but consumers who have purchased these products should not eat … [Read more...]
Beef Piroshki Recalled For Undercooked Meat
Galant Food Company of San Leandro, California is recalling approximately 410 pounds of beef piroshki products because the meat filling used in the products did not meet its cooking critical limit. People who have purchased these product should not eat them. The recalled products were sold in the San Francisco area and in Northern California. They have the establishment number “EST.9014” and were produced Sept. 22 through 24, 2014. They include 4.5-oz. packages of Galina’s Original Beef and Cheese Piroshki which were packed 12 or 24 per case, with case codes 092214, 092314 and 09241; and 5-oz.packages of Paramount Beef Piroshki, packed 25 per case, with case codes 092314. The problem was discovered by Food Safety and Inspection Service personnel who were at the establishment … [Read more...]
Beef Corn Dogs Recalled for Possible Temperature Abuse
Monogram Comfort Foods in Indiana is recalling 607 pounds of uncured beef hot dogs because they may have been held at too high temperatures in the distribution chain. The problem was found during a routine check by a warehouse that received the product. The product was stored in dry storage instead of the freezer. No reports of illness or adverse reactions in connection with the consumption of this product have been received to date. The recalled product is 10 ounce cartons of "Applegate Naturals Gluten-free Uncured Beef Corn Dogs" with a "best by" date of 04/21/15. They were produced on April 21, 2014 and have the establishment number "EST. 2512" inside the USDA mark of inspection. They were distributed for sale in Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. If … [Read more...]
