Hot weather = higher risk
Summer is heating up and warmer temperatures mean an increase in foodborne illness – also known as “food poisoning.” One reason is because most bacteria grow fastest at temperatures from 90 to 110 °F. Given the right circumstances, harmful bacteria can quickly multiply in food to large numbers. When this happens, someone eating the food can get sick.
Secondly, outside activities increase in the summer, which means more people are eating outside at picnics, barbecues, and on camping trips. The safety controls that a kitchen provides — thermostat-controlled cooking, refrigeration, and washing facilities — are often not as easily available.
Don’t blame the mayonnaise
Mayonnaise is often thought to be a common cause of foodborne illness. However, mayonnaise is usually not the culprit – bacteria is! Mayonnaise is made with acid (vinegar or lemon juice), so it actually tends to inhibit bacterial growth. Instead, the other perishable ingredients (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, cheese, cooked starchy foods, etc.) that are mixed with mayonnaise may more likely be the problem. When kept out of the refrigerator too long, they provide an environment for bacteria to grow.
Cool it quick
Remember, in hot weather (above 90° F), food should never sit out for more than one hour. Perishable food must be refrigerated within one hour in hot weather and within two hours if temperatures are below 90° F. Discard any food left that is left out longer than this!
Pointers for picnic food safety
Always use coolers when taking perishable foods on the road! Here are some helpful tips for packing your cooler:
- Pack your cooler just before you hit the road. If you pack meat and poultry while it is still frozen it will stay colder longer.
- Pack foods in your cooler in reverse-use order – pack foods first that you are likely to use last. By doing this, you avoid having to unpack and repack the cooler along the way.
- Pack plenty of ice and/or freezer packs to ensure a constant cold temperature. A full cooler stay cold longer than one that is partially filled.
- When traveling, transport the cooler in the air-conditioned passenger compartment of your car, rather than in a hot trunk.
- Keep the cooler out of direct sunlight. When outdoors, keep your cooler in the shade covered with a blanket or tarp.
- Keep drinks in a separate cooler from foods. The beverage cooler can be opened frequently while the food cooler stays closed.
- Take perishable foods in the smallest quantity needed – pack only the amount of food you think you’ll use. Consider taking along non-perishable foods and snacks that don’t need to be refrigerated.
Source: Partnership for Food Safety Education
Subscribe to the comments for this postSummer food preservation reminders
Be sure you are using up-to-date guidelines for summer food preservation. The latest recommendations include these changes which may be different from the way Grandma used to can foods:
- acidification of tomatoes with citric acid for boiling water canning,
- altitude adjustments for pressure processing (12 pounds pressure required for most Finney County altitudes),
- use of the hot pack method instead of a raw pack for most foods,
- heat processing for all foods, including sweet spreads (no paraffin, no inversion.)
Remember that canning supplies usually arrive in local stores in early summer and are gone by early fall. Stock up on canning ingredients when you see them because they may be gone when you need them!
Reliable resources
There is lots of preserving “advice” available, from Mom and Grandma, well-meaning friends and neighbors, all kinds of books, and of course, the Internet. K-State Research and Extension cautions that not all canning advice is created equal! Be sure you are using reliable canning recommendations from a trusted, research-based source. Here are several links to food preservation online resources that you can trust:
K-State Research and Extension Preservation website- http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/foodsafety/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=25
National Center for Home Food Preservation based at the University of Georgia
United States Department of Agriculture “Complete Guide to Home Canning”
Jarden Home Brands Company (manufacturer of Ball preserving products)-http://www.freshpreserving.com/
USDA food preservation resources
The Finney County Extension Office is your source for food preservation information, canner gauge tests and answers to questions. Call us at 620-272-3670.
Etiquette 101- responding to an invitation
Last time I explained that the abbreviation “R.S.V.P.” was the host’s polite way of asking you to tell him whether you planned to attend an event or not. This time, let’s explore a bit more about the proper etiquette rules for responding to an invitation.
Every invitation requires a response
According to etiquette experts, every social invitation that you receive requires a response. The exception to the rule is the invitation that asks you to pay money to attend, such as a benefit, a fund-raiser or an auction. Every other invitation should receive a response from you within a week. This will aid in planning the event and help to put the hostess’s mind at ease. Here’s a personal example– my family celebrated a graduation and a wedding in 2008, and I was surprised at the number of invited guests who did not respond in any way at all. It left me wondering if they had even received the invitation or if it had gotten lost in the mail!
Formal written invitations
If no reply card is enclosed, a formal invitation will include response instructions in the lower-left corner. If there is a phone number, you may call to accept or decline the invitation. If only an address is given, you must write your reponse. Passing the host on the street or in the office hallway and saying, “I can’t be there” doesn’t count. You should still respond according to the instuctions on the invitation.
Informal invitations
To respond to an informal invitation that arrived in writing, or via email or phone, you may respond in the same manner in which it was issued. However, if you must send your regrets, the best choice is to send a personal hand-written note or call, explaining why you’re unable to attend.
A quick note about gifts
The etiquette books seem to agree that if you accept a social invitation to an event associated with gift-giving, you should send a gift ahead of time or deliver it to the event personally. If you are unable to attend, you are not obligated to give a gift, according to the experts. However, you may certainly choose to send a gift by mail or with someone else if you wish to observe the occasion and cannot attend. Even if you choose not to send a gift, it may be thoughtful to send a greeting card to express your best wishes for the happy occasion.
What does R.S.V.P. mean?
R.S.V.P.– just four little letters that you often see on invitations, program announcements and meeting notices. But do you know what they mean? I’ve had youth and adults both ask me– “What does R.S.V.P. mean?”
Repondez, S’il Vous Plait
R.S.V.P. stands for the French phrase, “repondez, si’l vous plait,” which translates as “respond, if you please.” In modern language, the request is to “please reply.” In this short abbreviation, the person sending the invitation is asking that you tell him or her whether you accept or decline the invitation. In other words, will you be coming to the event, or not?
Etiquette rules for R.S.V.P’s
The rules of etiquette require that if you receive a formal written invitation, you should reply promptly in writing within seven days. For those who are planning an event, this is important from a practical point of view because they need to know how many people to count on and how many supplies to purchase. More important, though, is the simple courtesy of responding to someone who was nice enough to invite you, even if it is to say that you will not be able to attend.
Many formal invitations, including most wedding invitations, now include a printed reply card for your response. Send it back promptly, again within a week’s time. (An etiquette side note- it wasn’t that long ago that enclosing a reply card was considered in poor taste. However, nowadays, most people are so remiss in their manners that it has become necessary and quite acceptable to include this built-in reminder to respond.)
Why French?
You might wonder why we use the initials of a French phrase in an invitation written in English. You could say that the French “invented” etiquette, with many of our modern practices originating in the French court of King Louis XIV in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. French customs became the practice of refinement and “high society” through the 19th century in the United States.
A Polite Reminder
According to an article on HowStuffWorks.com, Judith Martin, author of etiquette books and a syndicated newspaper columnist known as “Miss Manners,” thinks that R.S.V.P came about as a polite way of reminding people of something that they should already know– if you receive an invitation, you need to reply.
Planning funerals in advance makes decisions easier
Americans spend billions of dollars every year to arrange more than 2 million funerals for family members and loved ones. Funerals rank among the most expensive purchases many consumers will ever make. Yet, when a loved one dies, grieving family members are confronted with dozens of decisions about the funeral – all of which must be made quickly and often under great emotional stress.
Funerals are consumer products- yet different
Even if you’re the kind of person who might haggle with a dozen dealers to get the best price on a new car, you’re likely to feel uncomfortable comparing prices or negotiating the best deal for a funeral. Compounding this discomfort is the fact that some people “overspend” on a funeral or burial because they think of it as a reflection of their feelings for the deceased.
Advance planning makes decisions easier
Consumers who make funeral plans in advance can compare prices and services so that the funeral reflects a wise and well-informed purchasing decision, honors the deceased and is meaningful to survivors. Remember, pre-planning does not have to equal pre-paying– even those who are uncomfortable about paying for services in advance can benefit from planning ahead before any dollars ever change hands. Here are some suggestions to consider:
1. Shop around in advance. Compare prices from at least two funeral homes. Choose reputable funeral homes so you know they will still be in business when your need arises.
2. Ask for a price list. By law, funeral homes must give you written price lists for products and services. You can supply your own casket or urn.
3. Resist pressure to buy goods and services you don’t really need.
4. Avoid emotional overspending. You can properly honor a loved one without the fanciest casket or the most elaborate funeral.
5. Recognize your rights. Funeral and burial laws vary from state to state. For information about the Kansas rules and laws, and other helpful resources, go online to the State of Kansas Board of Mortuary Arts at www.kansas.gov/ksbma/.
6. Apply the same smart shopping techniques that you use for other major purchases. Consider your needs and preferences, shop around and ask lots of questions.
7. Plan ahead. It allows you to comparison shop without time constraints, creates an opportunity for family discussion, and lifts some of the burden from your family. If you are planning your own service, and especially if you are paying in advance, you may want to review your arrangements every few years.
For more information-
The Federal Trade Commission offers a consumer guide to funeral planning complete with a price checklist, glossary of terms, description of services, and a list of questions to ask. Get your copy of Funerals, A Consumer Guide and other helpful resources at the FTC website: www.ftc.gov .