HealthyLife Articles

Tag: Food Safety

  • A Safer Way To Bring Home The Bacon

    Nutrition

    Image of bacon and rosemary.

    Meats like bacon, bologna, frankfurters, pepperoni, and salami have been cured to stop the growth of bacteria, delaying spoilage. Curing gives these meats their reddish pink hue and distinctive flavor. Scientists have discovered, however, that nitrites and nitrates, compounds used to cure meats, might be converted into dangerous cancer-causing substances called nitrosamines when cured meats are digested. Luckily, scientists also discovered that vitamin C can help to prevent formation of nitrosamines. So now, meat processors must by law include some form of vitamin C in cured meats.

    To further ensure the safe consumption of cured meats:

    *  Don’t let bacon or other lunch meats sit unrefrigerated for more than a few minutes. They can still spoil at room temperature.

    *  Cook bacon in a microwave oven. This produces lower levels of nitrosamines than pan frying or oven cooking.

    *  Always drain fat from cooked bacon, since drippings contain twice as many nitrosamines as the meat itself.

    Despite these precautions, cured meats are still high in fat and sodium, so you should eat only limited amounts regardless of the threat of nitrosamines.

    Page from A Year of Health Hints book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • What To Know About Irradiated Food

    Nutrition

    Have you seen the Radura symbol on fruits or vegetables in your supermarket? If so, do you know what it means?

    This symbol indicates that the food has been irradiated, a method of food preservation approved for use on produce by the Food and Drug Administration. Irradiation kills microorganisms that spoil food. Irradiated food isn’t radioactive. Irradiation leaves no residue on food and it doesn’t affect flavor. Proponents of irradiation say it reduces the need for chemicals typically used to keep food fresh longer.

    Those who oppose irradiation say essential nutrients in food may be destroyed, that eating food that’s been irradiated may cause cancer or other debilitating conditions, and that irradiation may be hazardous to the employees and residents of the area surrounding a food irradiation site. But studies haven’t conclusively identified any harmful effects of food irradiation.

    Page from A Year of Health Hints book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Handle Food With Care

    Home Safety

    Healthy eating starts with preparation.

    Your body will know if you’ve eaten harmful bacteria, because it can make you mildly to very sick. Bacteria spread easily onto hands, cutting boards, utensils, and countertops – all things that come into contact with food. To avoid problems, cook foods to  proper temperatures and follow some simple steps.

    Clean: Wash your hands and surfaces often.

    *  Wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food or touching other surfaces.

    *  Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops with hot soapy water after preparing each food item.

    *  Rinse fruits and vegetables with running tap water.

    Separate: Don’t cross-contaminate.

    *  Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs separate from other foods.

    *  Use one cutting board for fruits and vegetables and another for meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs.

    *  Never place cooked food on a plate that held raw food.

    Chill: Refrigerate perishable foods.

    *  Refrigerate or freeze meat, poultry, eggs, and other perishables as soon as you get home from shopping for foods.

    *  Don’t let raw meat, poultry, eggs, cooked food, or cut fruits or vegetables sit at room temperature more than two hours.

    *  Defrost foods in the refrigerator or cold water. Use the microwave on the defrost setting if you are cooking the food right away.

    Cook foods to proper temperatures.

    Eggs: 160ºF (Scrambled eggs should not be runny; whites and yolks should be firm.)

    Casseroles and leftovers: 165ºF

    Ground meat and meat mixtures: 160ºF

    Fresh or ground poultry: 165ºF

    Fresh beef, pork, veal, and lamb: 145ºF (with a 3-minute rest time)

    Fish: 145ºF

    Action Step

    During your next trip to the grocery store, start with foods that don’t spoil − items in boxes and bags. Then choose meats, poultry, eggs, milk, and frozen foods last to keep them from being at unsafe temperatures for too long.

    Ways to Well-Being book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • The Salty 6: Hidden Sources Of Salt

    HEALTHY EATING

    Image of a bowl of soup.

    Salt, or sodium, can affect your risk of heart disease and high blood pressure. Many Americans already eat much more than the daily recommended amount of salt. Even if you skip the salt shaker, many foods already have high amounts of salt in them. In fact, more than 75 percent of the salt we consume is already in our foods. It’s not coming from the salt shaker! Be aware of these “salty 6” and start eating less of these foods:

    1. Breads and rolls

    When eaten several times a day, these foods add up to a lot of sodium. Most bread has 100 to 200 mg of sodium per slice. Check labels for lower-sodium varieties.

    2. Pizza

    The cheese, crust and tomato sauce used for pizza often contain a high amount of sodium. Add pepperoni and sausage and you’ve got a sodium explosion. Ask for less cheese and sauce, skip the meat toppings, and add more veggies. Pair it with steamed vegetables, a salad or fruit to help fill you up.

    3. Sandwiches

    Restaurant burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches may contain all of your salt allowance for the day. Make burgers at home without salt or ask for a lower-sodium option when eating out (e.g., roasted chicken sandwich). You can also share the sandwich with a friend and fill up on a fresh salad.

    4. Lunch meat or cold cuts

    Six thin slices of deli meat may contain half of your entire day’s worth of salt. Look for lower-sodium lunch meats or skip the deli meats altogether. Instead, try hummus, sautéed vegetables, tuna without salt or eggs as other tasty sandwich options.

    5. Soup

    Canned or pre-packaged soups may have almost an entire day’s worth of salt in one serving. Make homemade soup, if possible, or check labels to find lower-sodium versions. Remember, your taste buds will become more sensitive to less sodium over time.

    6. Burritos and tacos

    Toppings and fillings are often loaded with sodium. For a healthier version, choose burritos and tacos that are veggie-friendly and have less meat and cheese.

    Replace these salty foods with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean fresh meat and dairy. And, when you season your foods, choose a salt-free herb blend that adds flavor without any sodium.

    Source: American Heart Association

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Wash And Eat

    HEALTHY EATING

    Image of man holding a bowl of fruit.

    Pesticides are compounds that help to protect crops from devastating pests and weeds. Whether conventional or organic, farmers safely and carefully use pesticides as necessary to control insects, weeds, and fungus (organic farming does permit the use of certain pesticides), says the International Food Information Council.

    Pesticide residues are tiny amounts of chemicals that may remain on food from their application to crops while being grown on the farm. Some crops are less susceptible to pesticide residues, such as those with a husk (corn), shell (peanuts), or skin (bananas). However, even those without an outer layer are safe to eat, and simply washing raw fruits and vegetables before eating them removes most traces of pesticide residues.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Wash That Lettuce

    HEALTHY EATING

    Close up image of hands washing lettuce.

    While it is important to thoroughly wash most fresh fruits and vegetables, if packaged greens are labeled “ready-to-eat,” “washed,” or “triple washed,” then the product does NOT need to be washed at home.

    Pre-washed greens have been through a cleaning process immediately before going into the bag. Re-washing and handling the greens creates opportunities for contamination.

    Always handle pre-washed greens with clean hands and make sure cutting boards, utensils, and countertops are clean, according to the Partnership for Food Safety Education.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • 3 Steps To Cleaner Eating

    HEALTHY EATING

    A bowl of falafel with hummus, green peas, carrots, and purple cabbage.

    Eating well is one of the most important things you can do for your body. A well balanced diet contributes to overall health and protection from disease.

    Making micro or small changes to your diet eventually add up to better health. If you’re ready to clean up your food choices, here are three easy habits that can help.

    1. Focus on plants

    Instead of worrying about all the foods you shouldn’t be eating, focus on what you can include. Plant foods provide the best nutrition and should make up a majority of your diet.

    A good first step to cleaning up your diet is to add more plant foods to each meal and snack. These include:

    *  Fruits

    *  Vegetables

    *  Beans

    *  Nuts and seeds

    *  Whole grains

    *  Healthy oils like olive, sunflower, and avocado oil

    2. Have a salad or smoothie

    Choose a healthy salad or smoothie to make up the bulk of one meal each day. This is a simple way to increase your plant food intake while controlling calories and portion size.

    Make your daily smoothie or salad fiber-packed to promote fullness and digestive health. In addition to adding plenty of fruits and vegetables, consider including nuts, chia, hemp, or flax seeds for an extra boost of nutrients and fiber.

    3. Snack on whole foods

    Feeling deprived and hungry will quickly result in giving up on your healthy new eating habits. Clean eating is delicious and should make you feel good!

    So, keep tasty whole food snacks on hand to keep you satisfied all day long. Here are some ideas:

    *  Sliced apple with peanut butter

    *  Hardboiled egg and a piece of fruit

    *  Sliced vegetables and a piece of cheese

    *  Hummus with cucumbers

    *  Mixed nuts and a piece of fruit

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Arm Yourself With A Vegetable Scrubber

    HEALTHY EATING

    Image of vegetables being washed in a scrubber.

    A University of Nebraska-Lincoln food safety specialist said it is important to properly wash fresh produce before eating to reduce harmful microorganisms that could cause foodborne illness.

    Wash produce with running water and then let that water go down the drain. Do not just soak the produce, said Julie Albrecht, UNL Extension food safety specialist at the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

    If there is something on the outside of a food, soaking it could allow the microorganisms to spread to other parts of the food or to other produce in the same sink. Running water washes the microorganisms down the drain.

    “It’s really just about preventing cross contamination,” Albrecht said. “Always use a colander or strainer so the water goes through the produce instead of just letting produce sit in water.”

    It is important to wash all fresh produce, even ones with rinds that are not eaten, Albrecht said. Bacteria could be living on the surface and then spread to the inside of the fruit when the rind is cut.

    Scrub foods with tough surfaces, such as melons and potatoes, with a vegetable scrubber.

    Immediately refrigerate fresh produce after cutting it. Most fruits and vegetables can be stored at 40ºF or below, which is cold enough to prevent microorganisms from growing.

    “Once you cut something or peel it, keep it cold, refrigerate it. Do not let it sit out at room temperature because microorganisms grow best around temperatures of 80 to 100. Plus, your food will be crisper and of a better quality,” Albrecht said.

    Leafy vegetables and tomatoes have been linked to foodborne illness outbreaks in recent years, so take extra care to wash them and keep them cold, Albrecht said.

    Be sure to also wash hands, surfaces, and utensils before handling raw produce.

    While shopping, only buy the best-looking produce that will stay fresh the longest. “Pick high-quality produce with no bumps or scratches at the peak of ripeness or maybe a little under ripe,” Albrecht said. “And make sure there is no mold, especially on berries.”

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Choosing Healthy Oats

    HEALTHY EATING

    Image of oats in jars.

    Even healthy foods can be made unhealthy through processing and adding unnecessary sugar and fat. How do you know which oats are best for your family?

    Steel-cut, rolled or instant?

    You can choose any type of oatmeal that is made with whole oats. They all contain very similar nutritional value. Instant oats are precooked and cut thinner to reduce cooking time. Steel-cut oats tend to be chewier than “old fashioned” or rolled oats, but both are equally nutritious. The best type of oat is the one you like and cook regularly.

    Look at ingredients and the nutrition label before you buy.

    Many commercially made oatmeals, especially ones that appeal to children, contain 12 grams of sugar or more. Some also contain artificial colors, sweeteners or flavors. Buy plain instant oatmeal packets and sweeten your child’s portion with a little honey, fruit or jelly.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Food Safety Before, During, And After A Power Outage

    HEALTHY EATING

    Image of women looking inside refrigerator.

    Snowstorms, summer thunderstorms, and over usage can knock out power. The FDA says power outages can affect the safety of your food. Ensure that food stays safe by having a plan in place and knowing what food safety precautions to take if a power outage does occur.

    BEFORE

    *  Plan ahead. Stock up on supplies in advance or know where to obtain them if needed. Before an outage, check that the refrigerator temperature is at or below 40 degrees F and the one for the freezer is at or below 0 degrees F.

    *  Plan for ice. Know where you can get dry or block ice. Stock plenty of ice cubes and frozen gel packs. Freeze containers of water (plastic milk jugs do well). All of these help keep food cold in the freezer, refrigerator, or coolers. Keep coolers on hand to store refrigerated food in case the power is out for more than 4 hours. Stock your pantry with a few days’ worth of ready-to-eat foods that do not require cooking or refrigeration.

    DURING

    *  Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to slow the growth of bacteria. The refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours. A full freezer will keep the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if unopened. Use ice (dry or block, ice cubes, and frozen containers of water or gel packs) to keep your refrigerator and freezer as cold as possible.

    AFTER

    *  When power is restored, check the temperatures inside your refrigerator and freezer before eating any food. If the power was out for no more than 4 hours, refrigerated food should be safe as long as the doors were kept closed. Discard any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, seafood, milk, eggs, or leftovers) that has been above 40 degrees F for 2 hours or longer.

    *  Food is safe and may be refrozen if the freezer thermometer reads 40 degrees F or below. If you did not have a thermometer in the freezer, check each package to determine its safety; you can’t rely on appearance or odor. If the food still contains ice crystals or is 40 degrees F or below, it is safe to refreeze or cook.

    *  Be aware that perishable foods that are not kept adequately refrigerated or frozen may cause foodborne illness if eaten, even after they are thoroughly cooked.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine