There are several different mistakes that are made when taking the temperature of potentially hazardous food items. These mistakes include: not inserting the bi-metal probe thermometer into the deepest portion of the food, taking temperatures of meats too close to the bone in the space created when meat separates from the bone, not […]

Over 20 years of laboratory analysis of food items collected during routine food safety inspections has confirmed to us the importance of treating vegetables and other raw items added to protein salads, including tuna, chicken, ham, turkey, and shrimp/seafood salads. In the past, we recommend blanching vegetables in boiling water for at least one […]

Thermometer use and calibration
There are several inexpensive types of thermometers available on the market today, including bi-metal probe and digital thermometers. Both types are capable of accurately recording internal temperatures of food products during the cooking process, however, one of the most important things is to insure that your thermometer is properly calibrated. […]

Now that Thanksgiving is over and the December holidays are fast approaching – attention to home food safety is important. One area that we are often asked questions about concerns the proper thawing of frozen food items, i.e. turkey. There are four accepted means of thawing food products: by immersion in cool running […]

Much has been in the news in the past 30 days about Mad Cow Disease, a/k/a BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy), with the confirmation of the first positive finding in an indigenous cow in the United States. As you may remember, in December 2003, a cow, which was of Canadian birth, was found to be […]