Pesto is for pasta, but that's not all.  It can go on chicken, in soup, in eggs, and on many other foods that need a lift.  Supermarkets usually carry both the traditional green pesto and the red tomato pesto. Therefore, you get to use the commercial type if you don't have the time or inclination to make your own. Like salsa, pesto is a versatile flavor enhancer.  If you're unfamiliar with it and have a tendency to shy away from the unknown, read on as Shelf Life Advice gives you the lowdown on a sophisticated, exotic, and quite delicious taste treat. 

PART 1 OF A 3-PART SERIES

During the fall of 2013, Shelf Life Advice embarked upon an ambitious project: We emailed a survey to more than 800 scientists who teach and/or do research and are on the faculty of approved* food science programs. Faculty members from more than a dozen colleges or universities responded to our questions about food safety, nutrition, and controversial food issues. Some of their answers may influence how you grocery shop and handle food in your kitchen.

Conducting this survey taught us two things about asking scientists questions related to their area of specialization: 1) It seems that great minds do not think alike.  Our survey results rarely showed consensus. 2) Ask a scientist a seemingly black-and-white question, and the response is often gray. It's likely to begin with "It depends." Fortunately, our survey provided ample space for comments, many of which are included in the report below.  These should help readers to see the complexity of these scientific matters and to explain why there isn't total consensus.