Episode transcript

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I’m Susie Craig from Washington State University Extension

No matter the source of heavy metals in our food system, agricultural technologies may minimize them in soil and limit the uptake of heavy metals by plants. The technologies used by farmers to lessen or alleviate heavy metals range from direct interventions with soil to more complex solutions. These include:

• Growing crops in areas with lower levels of heavy metals,

• Soil washing or soil excavation,

• Reducing heavy metals in fertilizers,

• Using soil amendments such as lime, altering the pH of soil and reducing heavy metal uptake by plants, and

• Crop genetics developing plants that minimize uptake during growth.

Learn more from the Institute of Food Technologists. Look online for Challenges, Risks, and Potential Solutions to Mitigate Heavy Metal Exposure: A Roundtable Discussion.

This is Food Safety in a Minute.

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Resources

Institution of Food Technologists (10/24). Challenges, Risks, and Potential Solutions to Mitigate Heavy Metal Exposure: A Roundtable Discussion.

https://164454.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/164454/Challenges%2c%20Risks%20and%20Potential%20Solutions%20to%20Mitigate%20Heavy%20Metal%20Exposure-1.pdf. Accessed online 12/8/24.

Episode transcript

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For Food Safety in a Minute, this is Susie Craig.

For sixty years, the Food and Drug Administration has tracked heavy metals in our food supply. Even trace amounts of arsenic, cadmium, mercury and lead in food, water, and air once ingested stay in our bodies.

Heavy metals in food come from naturally occurring and environmental sources. Food may be grown in soil or irrigated with water containing higher levels of heavy metals. Food processing and handling food may increase or decrease levels. Whether naturally occurring or environmental, experts from academia, government, and industry continue to monitor and study their effects on our health.

Read a free research-based report from the Institute of Food Technologists. Look online for Challenges, Risks, and Potential Solutions to Mitigate Heavy Metal Exposure: A Roundtable Discussion.

This is Susie Craig from Washington State University Extension.

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Resources

Institution of Food Technologists (10/24). Challenges, Risks, and Potential Solutions to Mitigate Heavy Metal Exposure: A Roundtable Discussion.

https://164454.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/164454/Challenges%2c%20Risks%20and%20Potential%20Solutions%20to%20Mitigate%20Heavy%20Metal%20Exposure-1.pdf. Accessed online 12/8/24.

United States Department of Agriculture – Agriculture Research Service. Food Surveys Research Group: Beltsville, Maryland, What We Eat in America.

https://www.ars.usda.gov/northeast-area/beltsville-md-bhnrc/beltsville-human-nutrition-research-center/food-surveys-research-group/docs/wweianhanes-overview/. Accessed online 12/8/24.

Episode transcript

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Welcome to Food Safety in a Minute from Washington State University Extension.

Smart phones, smart thermostats, smart watches connect us to information anywhere and anytime. Did you know smart devices used in our food system from farming to food processing reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses?

Food manufacturers use smart sensors for real-time data monitoring. Innovative, complex technology allows manufacturers to monitor and record useful information related to food safety from raw ingredients to the shipment of products to your market. This includes predictive maintenance, reducing contamination risks, streamlining operations, and food recalls.

Smart sensors embedded with artificial intelligence monitor the “health” of the sensor. When sensors are working properly, they alert employees to changes in equipment and processing controls which could impact food safety and food quality.

This is Susie Craig for Food Safety in a Minute.

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Resources

Food Safety Executive (9/23/24). How Smart Technology is Revolutionizing Food Safety: Q and A with John Isabel of ifm. Accessed online 12/4/24.

https://foodindustryexecutive.com/2024/09/how-smart-technology-is-revolutionizing-food-safety-q-a-with-john-isabell-of-ifm/.

Orth, Steve. Food Safety Tech (12/3/24). Food Manufacturing Future of Food Safety: Next-Gen Technologies On the Rise. Accessed online 12/4/24.

https://foodsafetytech.com/feature_article/future-of-food-safety-next-gen-technologies-on-the-rise/.

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Happy holidays and happy New Year from food safety in a minute. We're on a holiday break this week but return on January 8th, 2025. I'm Susie Craig from Washington State University Extension. Thanks for listening to Food Safety in a Minute.

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Episode transcript

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This is Food Safety in a Minute, I’m Susie Craig.

Keep holiday food delicious and safe following time and temperature guidelines from the United States Department of Agriculture. The temperature danger zone for food safety is 40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit where disease-causing bacteria multiply quickly possibly causing foodborne illness.

Temperature and time matter. After two hours in the danger zone, all perishable food on your buffet table must be refrigerated or frozen to ensure food safety. This can be challenging for the host. These tips may help.

• Use warming trays or slow cookers to keep hot food hot.

• Hold the cold items in a cooler, serve in smaller containers.

• Limit buffet service to two hours. Then, cool and refrigerate leftovers including take-home food for guests.

Happy Holidays from Marketing and Communications, College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences at Washington State University.

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Resources

Food Safety and Inspection Service. United States Department of Agriculture. “Danger Zone” (40 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit). https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/danger-zone-40f-140f#:~:text="Danger%20Zone"%20%2840°F%20-%20140°F%29%20Leaving%20food%20out,grow%20to%20dangerous%20levels%20that%20can%20cause%20illness. Accessed online 11/15/24.

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Alternate Ways to Cook Holiday Turkey

From Washington State University Extension, I’m Susie Craig.

Are last minute power outages from a winter storm, failure to thaw your turkey, or an oven which unexpectedly breaks down coming between you and the perfect holiday turkey? The Food Safety and Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture has you covered. Search online for “Turkey: Alternate Routes to the Table.”

No matter the situation, you have safe and tasty alternatives for cooking your turkey: An electric roasting oven, gas or charcoal grilling, smoking, deep fat frying, pressure cooking, or microwaving. No matter the method you choose for food safety, all whole turkey should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit as measured in the innermost part of the thigh and wing or the thickest part of the breast.

This is Food Safety in a Minute from Washington State University Extension.

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Resources

Food Safety and Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Turkey: Alternate Routes to the Table. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/poultry/turkey-alternate-routes-table#:~:text=Preheat%20the%20oven%20to%20at%20least%20325%20°F.,as%20possible%20to%20avoid%20slowing%20the%20cooking%20process. Accessed online 11/14/24.

Episode Transcript

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Why Does Fruitcake Last So Long?

Welcome to Food Safety in a Minute from Washington State University Extension.

Focus of humor, the longevity of a holiday fruitcake. According to the USDA, in a pantry, fruitcakes stay fresh and safe to eat for six months. When frozen, for up to a year.

Why does fruitcake last so long? Because of the ingredients and preparation. Dried fruit contains less moisture along with a high sugar content. Both prevent bacterial growth. Often, home-made fruitcake is soaked in alcohol which adds flavor and antimicrobial properties.

After baking bread or cake, the starch molecules in flour become disorganized creating air pockets which lead them to stale more quickly. The dense texture and low moisture content of fruitcake limit this reaction. Thus, they are good to eat for a long time before becoming stale.

Thank you for listening. I’m Susie Craig.

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Resources

Solis-Moreira, Jocelyn. Why Does Fruitcake Last So Long? Scientific American. 12/23/23.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-does-fruitcake-last-so-long/.

Accessed online 11/14 /24.

Episode transcript

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I’m Susie Craig. Welcome to Food Safety in a Minute.

It’s a busy time of the year. Minimize time in the kitchen, go easy on your budget, and minimize food waste by taking inventory and using frozen leftovers. Frozen leftovers maintain quality between two and six months of storage. Use the oldest first, especially if you’re tempted to use Thanksgiving leftovers.

For flexible family meals, thaw leftovers in the refrigerator. You have three to four days to reheat and serve them. Some frozen leftovers including soups or stews can be reheated directly in a saucepan. For quick meal preparation, thawing in a microwave oven with appropriate settings may make sense. All leftovers should be re-heated to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Always use a food thermometer to check.

From Washington State University Extension, this is Food Safety in a Minute.

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Resources:

Food Safety and Inspection Service – United States Department of Agriculture. Leftovers and Food Safety. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/leftovers-and-food-safety#_Reheat. Accessed on 10/22/24.

Episode transcript

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Welcome to Food Safety in a Minute from Washington State University Extension.

Food, often large quantities of food are part of Thanksgiving celebrations. Here are two suggestions to maximize your budget and minimize food waste while protecting your family from foodborne illness.

• Practice the Two-Hour Rule after cooking, serving, and when sending leftovers home with guests. Perishable food should be refrigerated within two hours after serving. Bacteria grows and some bacteria produce toxins between 40 degrees and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature danger zone. Once food is served, it needs to be refrigerated. This includes “doggie bags” for guests. After two hours, food should be discarded.

• Leftovers should be eaten within four days or frozen in airtight, labeled containers or bags.

I’m Susie Craig. Happy Thanksgiving.

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Resources:

United States Department of Agriculture. Stay Safe This Thanksgiving Holiday. https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2022/11/07/stay-food-safe-thanksgiving-holiday. Accessed online 10/22/24.

Episode transcript

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From Washington State University Extension, I’m Susie Craig.

From Pinterest to online magazines, Thanksgiving recipes are everywhere. The turkey may look picture perfect, but when you combine the busyness of the season, work and family responsibilities, and a 15-pound turkey you make once a year, it’s easy to overlook the basics of food safety.

For answers to all your turkey questions, search for the United States Department of Agriculture Meat and Poultry Hotline. Send questions by email, listen to recorded messages in English and Spanish, or talk with a specialist by phone. For last minute questions, they’re open from 10AM – 6PM Eastern time on Thanksgiving. Call (1-888-674-6854). Staffed with home economists, food technologists, and nutritionists, the hotline has answered more than two million questions from consumers.

Thanks for listening to Food Safety in a Minute.

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Resources:

Food Safety Inspection Service – United States Department of Agriculture. USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline. 1-888-MPHotline. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/usda-meat-and-poultry-hotline. Accessed online 10/24/24.