I am considering the purchase a slow cooker. Is the food that I prepare in the cooker safe to eat?
Slow cookers are safe. This appliance, cooks foods slowly at a low temperature—generally between 170° and 280° F. The low heat helps less expensive, leaner cuts of meat become tender and shrink less. The combination of direct heat from the pot, lengthy cooking and steam created wi ...
- I check the doneness of chicken by seeing if the juices run clear. Is this a safe method to use?
Although convenient and often tempting to use a visual test to determine if meat or poultry is thoroughly cooked, it is not accurate. For example, hamburgers to turn brown well before they are cooked to a safe internal temperature (160ºF) Use a food thermometer to measure the internal tempe ...
- I frequently use leftover containers from margarine, whipped topping, etc. Are these safe to use?
While freezing foods in these types of containers does not present a safety problem, they can affect the quality of the food. Packaging materials must be moisture/vapor resistant; durable and leak-proof; not become brittle and crack at low temperatures; resistant to oil, grease or water; protect ...
- Are chicken breasts that were frozen for over a year still safe to eat?
Yes. For best results though, chicken parts should not be frozen for more than 9 months. The recommended storage time is the time in which food should be used to insure maximum quality. Food stored longer than the recommended time is safe but flavor, color and texture will continue to deteriorate.
- Why are there bugs in my pasta?
Bugs occur naturally in grain products. They enter in products that were contaminated before you brought them home. While beetles such as the flour beetle, meal worm, and grain weevils make the product unappealing they are not harmful. Sift them out of flour or mixes that are only slightly conta ...
- What causes dark bones in cooked poultry?
Darkening of bones and meat around the bones occurs primarily in young (6-8 weeks) broiler-fryer chickens. Since the bones have not calcified or hardened completely, pigment from the bone marrow seeps through the bones and into the surrounding area. Freezing can also contribute to this darkening ...
- What causes iridescent colors on meats?
Meat contains a variety of compounds including iron and fat. There are various pigments in meat compounds that can give it an iridescent or greenish cast when exposed to oxygen, light, heat and processing. When exposed to oxygen or light, some of the nitrate-modified iron content of the meat und ...
- Can I use a container of unopened sour cream with a past due expiration date? If so, how far past the expiration date?
The date you see on the package is actually the "sell by" or "pull" date which is the last day the store can sell the product. Sour cream that has been continuously refrigerated can usually be kept 10 to 14 days after the "sell by" date on the package. If the contents develop an off flavor, odor ...
- Why is pre-packaged ground beef red on the outside and sometimes grayish-brown on the inside?
These color differences do not indicate that the meat is spoiled or old. Fresh cut meat is purplish in color. Oxygen from the air reacts with meat pigments to form a bright red color usually seen on the surface of ground beef purchased in the supermarket. The interior of the meat may be grayish- ...
- What can I do at home to reduce the risk of harmful bacteria on fresh produce?
• Choose produce that is not bruised or damaged. • Refrigerate or chill produce immediately after purchase. • Wash hands warm water and soap before and after handling fresh produce – at home or at pick your own operations. • Wash fresh fruits and vegetables with cool ta ...
- My vinegar is cloudy, is it safe to use?
Vinegar contains natural bacteria that produce a cloudy substance known as “mother”. “Mother” is a carbohydrate that is harmless and does not affect the flavor or safety of the vinegar itself. You may leave the “mother” in the vinegar and continue to use or si ...
- My honey has crystallized, can I still use it?
Honey will crystallize over a period of time at room temperature, but it is still safe to use. Simply place the whole container in a warm water bath until it becomes liquid again. Alternately you can remove the amount of honey you would like to use and microwave for a short time. If using this m ...
- Is food safe to consume if my freezer has stopped working?
If there is a power outage, the freezer fails, or if the freezer door has been left ajar by mistake, the food may still be safe to use. As long as a freezer with its door ajar is continuing to cool, the foods should stay safe overnight. If a repairman is on the way or it appears the power will b ...
- I smoked some chicken on my smoker and cooked it to 165° F. Is it safe to eat?
Poultry grilled or smoked outdoors can be pink, even when all parts have reached temperatures well above 160° F. There may be a pink-colored rim about one-half inch wide around the outside of the cooked product. Commercially prepared, smoked poultry is usually pink because it is prepared wit ...
- I have heard that mayonnaise causes foodborne illness. Is that true?
Commercial mayonnaise has a bad reputation as a cause of food spoilage. To the contrary, commercial mayonnaise is loaded with acid and preservatives that can actually extend the life of salads by killing bacteria. The eggs used in prepared mayonnaise are pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria. It ...
- How do I know if I am grilling meats and poultry safely?
Use a food thermometer to make sure it is cooked to the proper temperature. Beef, veal and lamb steaks, roasts and chops can be cooked to 145 F internal temperature. Hamburgers made of ground beef should reach 160 F. All cuts of pork should reach 160 F. All poultry should reach a minimum of 165 ...
- Does ketchup need to be refrigerated?
Because of the high acid content of ketchup, it is not necessary to refrigerate it even after it has been opened. To maintain great flavor, however, it is recommended that ketchup be refrigerated after opening. If refrigerated, it will last indefinitely.
- When I see mold on food is it just on the surface of that food?
No, not always. Often, you only see part of the mold on the surface of food -- gray fur on forgotten bologna, fuzzy green dots on bread, white dust on Cheddar, coin-size velvety circles on fruits, and furry growth on the surface of jellies. When a food shows heavy mold growth, “root” ...
- Should I wash my raw chicken before cooking?
Washing raw poultry, beef, pork, lamb, or veal before cooking is not recommended. Bacteria in raw meat and poultry juices can be spread to other foods, utensils, and surfaces. This is called cross-contamination. Hand washing after handling raw meat or poultry or its packaging is necessary becaus ...
- Is it safe to eat food that is moldy?
Some molds are used to make certain kinds of cheeses including Roquefort, blue, Gorgonzola, Stilton, Camembert, and Brie. The mold on these cheeses is safe to eat. Mold on other types of cheeses should not be there. Discard any soft cheese showing mold. For hard cheese, such as Cheddar, cut off ...
