Where are the Canning Police When You Need Them? aka Darwinism At It's Finest

If you have been following this blog you will know I do a lot of home canning and that I share the safe methods for home canning.  All home canned foods must be properly processed for safe storage.  Low acid foods (eg. meats, fish, stews, soups, vegetables) must be processed in a pressure canner.  High acid foods (eg. jams, jellies, pickles, fruits) must be processed in a boiling water bath canner.  There are no ifs, ands or buts!   Older methods that your grandparents or parents used may no longer be safe to ensure a proper canned food that is shelf stable.  Oven canning aka open kettle canning or inverting the jars is no longer considered safe as neither method kills off existing bacteria or mold spores, nor do they denature any botulin toxin that may be present.

<rant> Yesterday, a post came down on one of the forums I follow to check out a blog where the author actually told her readers how to oven can tomatoes and that vegetables should be put into a boiling water bath.  Now this is just wrong on so many levels!  Not only is she giving dangerous advice that could cause someone to get quite sick or worse she is opening herself up to one or more lawsuits should someone follower her advice.  I don't care whether her mother, her aunt, her friends or anyone else used oven canning for thousands of years, it is still bad advice.  She erroneously claims the FDA is too strict on their home canning guidelines.  Hello!  Even as a Canadian home canner, I know it is the USDA not the FDA who has done the research and is the leading home canning expert.  Even if she oven canned tomatoes and cold vegetables in a boiling water bath herself she certainly should not be telling others to do so.  It is akin to giving a child an unlocked gun to play with!  Not only could she ultimately be responsible for someone's death she can and should be held liable!  Several from the forum left comments to indicate her advice could end causing illness or worse but she deleted them all which is entirely up to her.  I just hope we don't read in the news about illness or death caused by improper canning following this person's advice!  Honestly, she is practicing Darwinism at its finest!</rant>

The USDA has done a tremendous amount of research on home canning.  They do not approve or disprove anything but rather make recommendations based on the results of their research.  They may not recommend using a certain ingredient (eg. corn starch) or canning a certain food (eg. broccoli) because the resulting quality is less than acceptable.  They may not recommend canning a certain food (eg. thickened stew, pureed pumpkin) because it presents a safety issue as the heat cannot penetrate to the centre of the jar to ensure a safe product.  The problem is, the USDA does not disclose whether their recommendation is based on safety or quality. 

The best course of action is to follow all USDA recommendations with respect to food safety in home canning.  After all, the goal is to put a safe product on the table for you and your family.  That does not mean you cannot use older recipes or tweak flavours as long as it does not interfere with the safety of the final product.  For example, substitute white wine vinegar for white vinegar in a recipe to get a mellower flavour.  This is a perfectly acceptable substitution as long as the white wine vinegar you use is 5% acetic acid by volume.  In general, the exception being pickled products, salt is optional when home canning.  You don't need to add salt to something like green beans.  You can but you don't have to as this is a taste issue not a food safety issue.  Older recipes can be converted to be processed using current safe canning guidelines providing they are similar to recipes recommended by the USDA or tested recipes in the Ball Blue Book and Bernardin's Complete Guide to Food Preservation.  Keep the ratio of vinegar to low acid vegetables or when making a pickling brine the same if processing in a water bath canner.  Have fun canning and stocking your pantry but always, always, always put food safety first!

Traceability Codes on Eggs

We spent most of the month of October at our vacation home in Florida then returned home for most of November before returning to our vacation home November 29 to stay until December 20.    One thing I do notice when shopping in the grocery stores where our vacation home is, is the food labelling.  It's not like I don't see food labelling at home in Ontario, it is I see a lot less of it because of our heavy reliance on whole foods home grown, bought directly from the source (eg. farmers, farm markets, orchards, etc.) or bought in bulk from the bulk food stores.

We buy most of our groceries a Publix when at our vacation home.  However, we also occasionally shop at Sweetbay and Walmart for groceries.  Our flight was late on November 29 so we didn't arrive into Tampa until after midnight so didn't arrive into our vacation home community until about 1:30 AM.  We stopped at Walmart which is open 24 hours to pick up a few groceries to last us for a couple of days.  Part of that purchase was a dozen of extra large eggs.

When I opened the eggs a couple of days later, I found one was broke.  Normally, I check store bought eggs for breakage but at 2 AM the old brain was a bit fuzzy.  Each egg had a 'use by date stamp' with a code below it.  I've seen this type of thing on eggs before.   The use by date is the last date you should use your egg for freshness.  The other code is the traceability code.

Traceability codes are on most commercially prepared products, cheeses, some meat products, dairy, some bakery goods, canned and jarred foods, and dairy.  The traceability code is usually found under the best by or use by date.  It is normally a series of alpha numerical characters separated into groups as the one on the eggs.  The groups may be separated by spaces or dashes.  Essentially, the code can gives information from the grower to the processing plant.  This is the code that is used when a food product is recalled which is one reason foods should be stored in their original packaging.  If you have a mobile device, it is easy to check the traceability code while you are shopping before buying.

Here's a short video that explains how eggs are graded and how they can be traced back to the producer.


We bought the extra large eggs at Walmart on November 30 for $2.08.  I pay $2 per dozen from the organic farm and $3.49 at the grocery store for free range eggs at home (Ontario).  I put the code AX-P1306-306 into The Egg Tracker at My Fresh Egg.   This dozen eggs were processed on November 1, 2012 from Cal-Maine Farms located in Bushnell, Florida.  They were Grade A, extra large sold under the brand name Sunny Meadows.  I got all that information just from the code that was on the egg using The Egg Tracker!

What I found concerning was the eggs were already a month old when we bought them.  I wasn't pleased about that.  The use by date was December 15 which means the eggs had a freshness span of 45 days.  When I buy eggs from the organic farmer at home, the eggs were collected the same day so not even a full 24 hours old!  In other words, the eggs we normally use are fresh not days old.  To date, I have not found a source for fresh (hours old), free range eggs at our vacation home.  I have an app on the iPad called Eat Local to find farmer's markets near our vacation home so that has been a huge help as far as finding fresh, local produce.  Now we just need to do a bit of networking to find fresh sources for meats, cheeses and eggs.

Eggs

Even though the price of eggs has increased, they remain a frugal source of dietary protein.  They are quick and easy to cook as well as being quite versatile.  Eons ago when I was in high school it was mandatory for all female students to take two courses in Home Economics.  While I detested the teacher with a passion due to very inappropriate comments that would never be tolerated in any school system today, I learned a lot from those two courses.  To this day, my kitchen is very much organized the way the HomeEc kitchens were, into specific work zones.  This maximizes how a kitchen functions regardless of how small it is and believe me I have cooked in some not small but tiny kitchens!  One of the most valuable lessons learned was this teacher insisted that any time you crack open an egg it is to be done in a separate bowl.  If cracking more than one egg, she told us to use two bowls - one to crack the egg into then pour the cracked egg into another bowl and continue this way until all the eggs were cracked.

I buy my eggs from a couple of farmers who have free range chickens whenever possible.  I also buy eggs at the grocery store when I have to.  Many home cooks are quite complacent when it comes to cracking eggs.  There is the fallacy that if it comes from a grocery store it is safe.  Wrong!  If it comes from a grocery store, any food has been handled a multitude of times, has been exposed to numerous contaminants including insects and rodents and possible unsafe temperatures during transportation to the store.  That is why all fruits and vegetables should be washed before consuming and all lids on commercially canned foods washed before opening.

I have seen many interesting sights when cracking eggs but never have seen contamination like I found in the pictured store bought egg.  Had I simply cracked the egg into the other ingredients I would not have seen the contamination until it was too late, thus wasting all the ingredients.  I don't know what the contamination was although I can make an educated speculation based on my scientific background.  Four more eggs in that dozen were contaminated as well so I ended up tossing the entire dozen.  I was ticked but it would have been worse had I boiled them for deviled eggs or egg salad! 

An egg is the biological unfertilized portion of what would become a baby chicken if fertilized.  When buying eggs from a farmer it is common to see blood spots (harmless), double yolks (lucky according to legend), and occasionally a fertilized egg with the embryo in some stage of development.  These artifacts are less likely to occur in store bought eggs as they are screened to remove these particular artifacts.  Egg shells protect the egg or developing embryo.  Despite their look, they are porous allowing oxygen to reach the developing embryo.  They have a natural antibiotic coating to help protect the developing embryo which helps to keep unfertilized eggs (the ones we eat) fresh.  This is why eggs should not be washed before storing in the refrigerator.  The egg shell can be compromised in many ways such as environmental exposure  of the laying hen to a damaging chemical, a genetic condition in the laying hen that results in a weaker egg shell, or it can be damaged during the grading a packaging process.  In addition to the egg shell being compromised, it can also be contaminated with Salmonella that can give you a nasty case of food born illness.  I do mean nasty!  I accidently contaminated myself with Salmonella in the lab; it was a horrid experience but valuable lesson.   This is why an egg should always be cracked into a separate bowl, checked for any problems then poured into another bowl or added to the other ingredients.  Never crack an egg directly into a fry pan or other ingredients!

Kitchen Quick Tips - Pot Lid Safety

When removing a lid from a pot or pan always raise the side furthest from you first to prevent accidently scalding yourself.

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Food Safety

 Food safety is a year round concern in any kitchen.  A surprising number of food borne illnesses are a direct result of not practicing good food safety.  What some people blame on a 24 Hour Flu is actually a mild case of food poisoning.  Foods should not be within the danger zone of 4.4ºC (40ºF) and 60ºC (140ºF) for more than 4 hours.   In other words hot foods should be kept hot and cold foods kept cold.  Hot foods that will be later stored in the refrigerator should be chilled as quick as possible.  A lot of foods served at picnics, smorgasbords and outdoor events can easily have been within the danger zone.  It is very difficult especially at household events to know whether an at risk food was in the danger zone for any period of time especially when well meaning guests who offer to help may easily scoop that food into a container for the refrigerator not realizing it could cause illness.  Today's Frugal Kitchens 101 is a short video clip of a few things to keep in mind when considering food safety. 

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Food Safety in the Kitchen

Food spoilage and contamination not only cost money but can lead to food borne illness.  Much of this can be avoided by using effective ways to reduce harmful bacteria in the kitchen by developing good kitchen safety practices. When it comes to food safety an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure!  This weeks Frugal Kitchens 101 focuses on food safety in the kitchen.  Most of these tips are very low cost but they are in combination quite effective.

• wash your hands -  Wash your hands before, during and after any food prep in hot, soapy water for at least 20 seconds.  I keep a pump bottle of liquid soap by the sink for easy use while doing kitchen duties.  Using a soap with antibacterial properties is not necessary and the use of these types of soaps have been shown to be detrimental.
• clean your cutting boards - Plastic cutting boards can be put in the dishwasher for effective, safe cleaning.  Wood and bamboo cutting boards can be bleached to kill germs.  Undiluted vinegar is an eco-friendly way to kill germs on cutting boards as well.  I prefer using a 50% to 70% rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle that effectively sanitizes most surfaces.  Of note bamboo cutting boards are not only eco-friendly but have antibacterial properties that help kill bacteria so if replacing a cutting board consider buying bamboo.
• sanitize your sink - Did you know the kitchen sink can have more bacteria per square inch than a garbage pail or even a toilet?  It's true!  Sinks should be washed after each use with hot soapy water to eliminate bacteria.  I use a 50% to 70% rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle to bring the sink and tap to a sparkly shine while killing off any germs that escape washing.
• sponges vs dishcloths - Sponges are second to the sink for bacteria levels.  While microwaving or boiling sponges are often recommended for sanitizing sponges I feel it is too easy to overlook sanitizing them often enough.  I do not use sponges in the kitchen.  Instead I have an amble supply of 100% cotton dishcloths both purchased and handmade that I use.  I use a fresh dishcloth each time I do dishes.
• wash produce - All produce whether store bought or home grown including those with inedible rinds and peels should be washed before consuming.  Spray with a 3:1 vinegar to water solution then rinse under tap water.  This is as effective as the expensive commercial fruit and vegetable washes.
• don't rinse meats unless brined - Rinsing meat and poultry is more likely to spread any contaminants around the sink area.  Brined meats should be rinsed before cooking.  Clean the sink and surrounding area before and after rinsing brined meats.
• use mis en place bowls - Placing ingredients for a recipe into small glass bowls rather than using directly from the larger container helps prevent cross-contamination.
• use barriers - Kitchen items (eg. cutting board, scales) that come into contact with both raw and cooked foods should be lined with a protective barrier such as plastic wrap or tin foil.  An eco-friendly alternative is to wash these items in hot soapy water.
• don't recycle used marinade - Used marinade is contaminated with raw meat juice so is not safe to consume as a sauce unless cooked.  A small amount of unused marinade can be set aside to used as a sauce. 
• defrost in the refrigerator or microwave - Meats and poultry should be defrosted in the refrigerator or microwave not on the counter at room temperature. 
• reheat rapidly - Foods should being reheated should be brought through the danger zone (40ºF - 140ºF) as quick as possible.  Sauces, soups and gravies should be brought to a boil while casseroles should reach an internal temperature of 165ºF or higher. 
• use a refrigerator/freezer thermometer - The refrigerator compartment of your refrigerator should be set to 35ºF - 40ºF and the freezer set to 0ºF or lower.   Higher settings risk food spoilage and possible food borne illness.  Lower settings can result in some food spoilage in the refrigerator as well as waste electricity.
• use a food thermometer - Use an instant read thermometer to ensure cooked foods reach the proper temperature before consuming.

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Ten Food Refrigeration Mistakes

Everyone is concerned with rising food costs so frugal purchasing is a must.  However a hidden cost of food is food spoilage.  Last month I came down with a horrid case of food poisoning that had me out of commission for a good week.  I'm not kidding, I was so sick it was a good week before I could eat anything solid!  We narrowed possible suspects to accidently ingesting mozzarella cheese that may have been part of the recent recall due to Listera monocytogenes and a commercially purchased salad dressing.  Foodborne illness is most often caused by food spoilage.  A considerable amount of food spoilage can avoided by proper refrigeration and storage methods.  Today's Frugal Kitchens 101 discusses 10 refrigeration mistakes that cause food spoilage but can easily be corrected.

• sloppy wrapping - Air, especially the drying air of refrigeration and moisture are food's worst enemy.  The solution is to be be sure all lids and caps are on tight.  Squeeze out as much air as possible in resealable bags or vacuum seal.  Avoid using foil wrap and plastic wrap as both can cause air leakage as well as being expensive and environmentally unfriendly.
• not removing store wrap - Any original plastic wrap should be removed or other packaging should be removed from produce, meats, poultry and cold cuts.  There could be holes you can't see or a slightly lose flap that exposes food to air. 
• storing in oversized containers - Leaving too much space at the top of the container can speed up spoilage and freezer burn.  Use the smallest sized re-usable container possible for refrigerator storage.
• incorrect refrigerator temperature - A few degrees temperature fluctuation can mean food spoilage in the refrigerator.  The refrigerator should be set to 4ºC (40ºF) or lower; freezer set to -18ºC (0ºF) or lower.  Use a separate thermometer to confirm your temperature settings.  Too low of temperature settings in either compartment are energy wasters.  Avoid temporary overloading of unchilled food of either compartment that can cause temperatures to rise above the safe levels.
• storing the wrong foods in the refrigerator door - The refrigerator door compartments are 3 to 5 degrees warmer than the shelves inside so will cause food stored there to spoil faster.  Perishables like eggs, milk and fresh deli condiments should not be stored in the door compartments.  Reserve this space for foods such as mustard, relish, and ketchup or other sauces.
• refrigerating hot leftovers - Hot leftovers should be cooled before refrigerating to prevent warming food around it that increases the rate of bacterial growth.  Larger pots of soup and chili can be cooled in  a sink filled with ice water or transfered to smaller containers for cooling.  Be sure to get leftovers into the fridge within two hours to prevent any bacterial growth.
• relying of the sniff test - The reality is some spoiled (eg. Listeria, botululin)  foods do not have any odour yet can make you very sick.  The number one rule of food storage is if in doubt throw it out! I cannot stress this rule enough.  Do not rely on the sniff test and never taste any food you may think is spoiled!
• losing track of leftovers - Hey this has happened to everyone.  We live busy lives and sometimes are forgetful.  Any leftover that has been in the fridge for more than 3 - 4 days should be discarded.  I find it useful to have a leftover shelf in my fridge so I check what needs to be used there first.  If I immediately know a food on that shelf won't be used within the safe period I freeze it if possible.
• not repackaging bulk quantities of food - Any family or club pack of meats, poultry or other food should be repackaged in the amount you will use within a 4 - 5 day period with remaining perishable foods being repackaged for freezing, canning or drying if appropriate for longer term storage.  If raw bulk perishable foods cannot be repackaged as per the latter they should be cooked then frozen.
• not using appropriate food storage containers - Food containers such as take-out cartons, margarine tubs and yogurt containers may be suitable for very short term refrigerator storage but they are not suitable for longer term refrigerator or freezer storage.  Ideally use glass storage containers with lids in the refrigerator rather than plastic to prevent any potential leaching issues while the food is cooling or when reheating.

Frugal Kitchens 101- Opening Jars and Cans

Just a quick show of hands, how many of you routinely wash the lids of every jar and can you open prior to opening?  If you don't this Frugal Kitchens 101 post may just change your mind.  Before jars and cans get to your grocery store they are stored in large warehouses where there more than likely will be rodents and other pests like roaches.  True they can't get into the cans or jars but they can still leave their mark.  If you home can you still cannot be 100% sure they have not come into contact during storage with rodents or other pests especially if your home canned foods are stored in a location that may come into contact with any little critters.  Rodent contamination can be a huge problem even if you don't see them as can other critter contamination.  My rule of thumb is to wipe down any tin cans  and the lids of home canned foods I open with a dish cloth spritzed with a 50% ethanol (rubbing alcohol)  solution.  Alcohol is the ideal sanitize for any biologicals assuring no organisms that will contaminate the foods opened.  Always, always, always wash or sanitize the lids of cans and home canned foods prior to opening them.