02/07/2025
Red No. 3 dye, also known as E127 or erythrosine, gives some beverages, candies, cupcakes and icings their bright red appearance. It was approved for use in food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals in 1969, but some studies show it may cause health risks.
https://extension.okstate.edu/articles/2025/red_dye.html
02/07/2025
A crockpot is a great way to prepare warm, comforting meals, but are you using it safely? Follow these food safety tips to keep your meals both delicious and safe:
✅ Wash your hands, utensils, and crockpot before cooking.
✅ Never put frozen meat directly in the crockpot. Thaw it in the refrigerator first before adding to the crockpot.
✅ Preheat for best results. Turn your slow cooker on while you prep ingredients.
✅ Keep the lid in place. Lifting the lid releases heat and can extend cooking time. Only check near the end of cooking.
✅ Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours to prevent bacteria growth.
What’s your favorite slow cooker recipe? Share in the comments!
02/05/2025
Have you tested your pressure canner dial gauge this year? Dial gauges should be checked for accuracy each year before use. An accurate gauge is necessary to ensure that your pressure canned food was processed correctly. Canning at an incorrect pressure can result in spoilage or foodborne illness, including botulism. Many OSU Extension offices provide free testing for National, Magic Seal, Maid of Honor, and Presto pressure canner dial gauges. Contact the Extension office in your county for more information.
02/04/2025
Don’t Fumble Food Safety! Keep Your Super Bowl Party Safe with These Winning Tips:
🏈 Cook to the Right Temperature.
Chicken wings: 165°F
Burgers & meatballs: 160°F
Reheat leftovers to 165°F before eating.
🏈 Keep Hot Foods Hot & Cold Foods Cold.
Hot foods should stay at 140°F or warmer (keep trays in the oven or use slow cookers or warming trays). Cold foods should stay at 40°F or colder (set dishes in bowls or trays of ice).
🏈 Watch the Two-Hour Rule.
Perishable foods shouldn’t sit out for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour if above 90°F). Set a halftime reminder to swap out fresh servings.
🏈 Touchdown for Handwashing!
Wash hands before & after handling food, especially raw meat.
Encourage guests to wash hands before diving into the snack table.
01/21/2025
Keep your food safe and reduce food waste when using your slow cooker.
Here’s how to prevent food waste ⤵️
🍲 If you are at home when the power goes out, finish cooking the ingredients immediately by some other means: on a gas stove, on the outdoor grill or at a house where the power is on.
🍲 If the food was completely cooked before the power went out and while you’re home, it should remain safe to eat for up to two hours in the cooker with the power off.
💡 Better to be food safe than sorry! Learn more: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/slow-cookers-and-food-safety
01/17/2025
This week, the FDA banned the use of red dye #3. Here’s what you should know:
- Food dyes are added to foods to make them look more colorful. Some dyes are natural, and some are artificial or man-made.
- Red dye #3 has been used in candies, cupcakes, cakes, cookies, icings, and fruit cocktails.
- The FDA ban came after consumer groups pointed out a law that says food dyes can’t be allowed if they cause cancer in humans or animals.
- Studies showed high doses of red dye #3 caused cancer in male rats. However, these doses were much higher than what people usually consume, and the way it caused cancer in rats doesn’t happen in humans.
- Right now, there is no proof that red dye #3 in food or medicine causes cancer in people.
- Red dye #40 is a different dye and is not part of this ban.
12/14/2024
Having a potluck meal over the holidays? Keep your food safe by following the 2-hour rule. Prepared food should not be left on tables or counters for more than 2 hours at room temperature. Bacteria grow and thrive at temperatures between 40 to 140° F, this is known as the “danger zone.”
To avoid leaving food at room temperature, refrigerate foods within two hours. Other options are to keep hot food hot (above 140° F) by using crock pots or chafing dishes. For cold foods, keep them cold (at or below 40° F) by placing cold foods over bowls or trays of ice. If prepared food is left at room temperature for more than 2 hours, it should be discarded.
12/11/2024
Extension offers tips on how to keep food fresh - Oklahoma State University
Proper storage will help ensure fresh foods last as long as possible.
12/06/2024
Children under age 5 are at an increased risk for foodborne illness and related health complications because their immune systems are still developing. Raw eggs and raw flour may contain harmful bacteria that can cause illness. When baking with young children over the holidays, always wash hands, baking utensils, and kitchen surfaces with soap and water before and after handling raw flour and eggs. Avoid eating raw cookie dough, cake batter, or other uncooked mixes with raw eggs or flour.
12/04/2024
When preparing eggs, follow these tips to help prevent foodborne illness:
- Cook eggs thoroughly: Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm, not runny. Casseroles and other dishes that contain eggs should be cooked to 160° F.
- Avoid raw eggs: In dishes that contain raw eggs, such as eggnog, hollandaise sauce, tiramisu, and Caesar dressing, use pasteurized eggs. Pasteurized eggs have been heated at a controlled time and temperature to destroy potential bacteria inside the egg.
- Refrigerate eggs: Store eggs in the coldest part of the refrigerator, at 40°F. Refrigerate egg dishes within 2 hours of cooking to prevent bacteria growth.
- Wash hands, utensils and surfaces: wash with soap and water before and after handling raw eggs.
11/30/2024
Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. If you want to keep leftovers longer, freeze them within that four-day period to enjoy later. Frozen food stays safe indefinitely, though the quality may decrease over time. Leftovers stored in the freezer will be of best quality within two to six months. Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
11/27/2024
Bacteria grow rapidly between the temperatures of 40° F and 140° F. After food is safely cooked, hot food must be kept hot at 140° F or warmer to prevent bacterial growth. Within 2 hours of cooking food or after it is removed from an appliance keeping it warm, leftovers must be refrigerated. Throw away all perishable foods that have been left in room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if the temperature is over 90° F, such as at an outdoor picnic during summer). Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or frozen for 3 to 4 months.https://bit.ly/3Omwe7d
11/26/2024
The turkey is ready when it reaches a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) as measured with a food thermometer. Check the internal temperature in the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the thigh, and the innermost part of the wing. If stuffed, make sure the innermost part of the stuffing also reaches 165°F (74°C) before you stop cooking the turkey.
11/25/2024
Handwashing can keep you healthy and prevent the spread of respiratory and diarrheal infections. Handwashing is especially important when handling food and at other times when you are likely to get and spread germs. It’s important to wash your hands before, during, and after preparing any food and after touching raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs. Your hands can spread germs around your kitchen and to other foods. Washing your hands often and correctly while you’re cooking can help prevent cross-contamination. For effective handwashing, wet your hands with clean, running water, turn off the faucet, and apply soap. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Rinse your hands under clean, running water, and dry with a clean towel.
11/23/2024
It is not recommended to stuff a turkey for food safety reasons. When stuffed, it takes a longer time to cook the turkey, and you must make sure the innermost part of the stuffing has also reached 165°F (74°C). This can be challenging with large birds. https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2023/11/15/how-cook-turkey-stuffing-safely
11/22/2024
Washing or rinsing any meat or poultry is not recommended, and actually increases the risk you will cross-contaminate germs to other foods you're preparing. But if you do choose to wash your turkey, you need to fully clean and sanitize your sink. Cleaning and sanitizing is a two-step process. To clean, rub down surfaces including the sink, cutting boards, and counter tops with soap and hot water and then sanitize them with a cleaning solution to remove any residual germs you cannot see. You can use a homemade solution of one tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach in one gallon of water. Let air dry.
11/17/2024
Wondering when you should start thawing your frozen turkey? Thawing your turkey in the refrigerator is the safest method because it will thaw at a consistent, safe temperature. Plan to allow 24 hours for each 4 - 5 pounds of turkey. Use the chart below to find how long it should take your turkey to thaw.
10/14/2024
Halloween parties and trick-or-treating can be fun for families, but it's important for treats to be safe.
* Urge children to wait until they get home from trick-or-treating and let you inspect their loot before they eat any of it.
* Tell children not to accept or eat anything that isn’t commercially wrapped. Inspect commercially wrapped treats for signs of tampering, such as an unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes, or tears in wrappers. Throw away anything that looks suspicious.
* If your child has a food allergy, check the label to ensure the allergen isn’t present. Do not allow the child to eat any home-baked goods he or she may have received.
* If you have very young children, be sure to remove any choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies, or small toys.
https://www.foodsafety.gov/blog/halloween-treats-better-safe-scary