Food & Cooking Tidbits

ba1969 (sxc.hu)

If you eat frozen dinners, follow the cooking directions carefully.  Because frozen meals typically contain numerous ingredients from different sources, there is an increased chance that microorganisms can be introduced at some point in production.  No federal law requires that they be tested for pathogens.

Adults can suddenly develop food allergies.  Almost all true food allergies (those producing an immune-system reaction, such as allergies to peanuts, cow’s milk, and eggs) begin in the first or second year of life, but adults can sometimes develop allergies — and seafood is the most common culprit.  If you’ve always eaten fish and/or shellfish and suddenly get ill after a seafood meal, it may be hard to tell whether it is an allergy or food poisoning. Symptoms of allergy to seafood include stomach cramps, vomiting, itching, swelling of the hands, and wheezing. The reaction may worsen after a second exposure. You’ll need to see a doctor to find out if you really are allergic,  In addition, food tolerances (to lactose in milk, for example, or to gluten in wheat and other products) may begin in adulthood, but these are not allergies, strictly speaking. Again, you should ask for medical testing and, if necessary, dietary advice.

Cooked rice at room temperature.  It’s safest to serve or refrigerate rice within a few hours of cooking. Though rice is an infrequent cause of food-borne illness, several outbreaks have been reported over the years, usually linked to restaurant rice that had been left out overnight before it was fried the next day. Because the illness tends to be mild, many cases go unreported.  Uncooked rice is often contaminated with B. cereus bacteria, present in soil. The bacteria form spores that can survive normal cooking. If the cooked rice is left at room temperature, the spores germinate, producing toxins that can make you ill, usually with vomiting. Moreover, once the toxins have formed, they are not inactivated if you later fry or reheat the rice.  Other dried grains (including pasta) and potatoes are also susceptible to B. cereus contamination. Thus, you should keep all cooked starchy foods at high temperature (140° F) or cool them in small batches in the refrigerator, not on the counter. Toss leftovers after a few days, since B. cereus bacteria still grow at cold temperatures, though much more slowly.  Rice cookers often shut off after cooking, which can pose a risk with rice. Make sure yours switches to a safe warming setting after the rice is done.

Ground beef that is red on the outside but gray inside should be fine. Meat contains a pigment called myoglobin that turns bright red when exposed to oxygen. Grocery stores typically cover ground beef with a plastic wrap that allows some oxygen to penetrate, so that the surface of the meat turns this appealing red color, which consumers have come to associate with freshness. When ground beef is not exposed to oxygen (as in the inside of the packaged meat), the myoglobin turns grayish-brown after a few days. It may look less appetizing but is safe.  But if is gray or brown throughout, however, it could be beginning to spoil. If you just bought it, you may want to return it. “Spoilage bacteria,” though generally harmless, can make meat smell and cause other signs of deterioration. If you still want to eat it, it’s important to cook it thoroughly.  It is more important to remember that beef is can get contaminated with Salmonella, E. coli, and other bacteria that do not affect the color or smell of meat but can make you sick.  Use or freeze it within a day or two of purchase By the way, meat can also turn gray in the freezer. It’s perfectly fine and safe to eat.

Strong lighting in supermarkets is not bad for fresh vegetables. In fact, it can actually increase their nutrient levels, according to a recent USDA study.

Natural flavors are compounds from plants, animals, or minerals, including herbs and essential oils. Artificial flavors are synthetic compounds that are mixed together to taste like the flavors in nature. Neither one has any calories or nutrients.  “Natural” can be misleading, since natural flavors seldom come straight from nature, but are extracted and processed in labs. There may be little or no difference between a natural and an artificial flavor because both often contain the same key chemicals. For example, the chemical in bananas that gives it its recognizable taste, amyl acetate, can either be distilled from bananas (called “banana flavor” or “natural banana flavor”) or manufactured using vinegar, alcohol, and an acid (“artificial banana flavor”). Either way, you’re tasting the same basic compound.   Naturally flavored foods may get much of their flavor from unnamed sources. For instance, foods listing “natural strawberry flavor” often also contain “other natural flavors” that help impart or amplify the perceived strawberry taste. In fact, strawberry yogurt that simply says “naturally flavored” may contain nothing from strawberries at all, but rather a combination of natural compounds that taste like strawberry.  Artificial flavors are used because it’s easier and cheaper and have a longer shelf life.  It may also saves plants—sometimes scarce plants—from destruction. In addition, artificial flavors have a longer shelf life. Natural flavors are no safer than artificial ones and some people may be even more likely to be allergic to them. Labels only have to list if it is natural or artificial but not the specific ingredients of flavors, unless the source of the natural flavor is a major allergen like peanuts, shellfish, or milk.

There is no official difference between apple juice and apple cider, unless the cider is fermented (alcoholic).  The juice is usually filtered and appears clear, while cider may contain apple solids and may be darker. In practice the labels are interchangeable.

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