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How To Grill Safely

Grilling

Outdoor cooking was once mainly a summer activity, but now more than 50% of Americans say they do it year round.   Still, the number of grillers dramatically increases in the summer.  So does the amount of food-borne illness.  There is probably some connection between cooking and eating outside and contamination of food.  Perhaps the risk is greater for those cooking and eating away from home (picnicking or camping out) because they may not have access to refrigeration and clean, hot water for washing utensils and hands well.  However, even those grilling and dining in their backyards can benefit from tips on how to produce a safe and healthy meal.  In the U.S., outdoor grills are the cause of 19,000 emergency-room visits and 7,900 home fires every year.  

Ethylene and Produce: Friends or Foes?

applesBuying a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables these days?  Then it's well worth knowing something about ethylene. "What's ethylene?" some may ask.  It's a plant hormone that fruits and vegetables produce naturally as they ripen.  Reducing exposure to ethylene slows the natural ripening, thereby extending produce shelf life.  The problem is that, like many gases, it's sneaky--invisible and odorless.  Nevertheless, you can infer its presence and control it to some extent.

Farmers' Markets in the Time of COVID-19

Yes indeed, farmers' markets are operating again this year dispite COVID-19. The photo you see beside this article is proof positive. Here's what I bought at a farmers' market on opening day (June 7th) in Skokie, IL: from left to right, a Serbian apple pie (much like strudel and delicious), apple butter (like lighter, tasier applesauce), and a portabella mushroom--the biggest I've ever seen.

 

Why don't packaged foods tell us when the contents will expire after the container is opened?

Consumers often wonder why the answers to this question are not on the jars, bags, and boxes of foods they purchase.  One of the experts who serves on the Shelf Life Advice Advisory Board--food scientist Dr. Catherine Cutter-- has provided us with the following detailed explanation:

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