FoodieDoc says:

The average American consumer spends 44 minutes on a typical grocery trip (Hamrick et al. 2011). This includes the time to find all the items they need, compare brands, price, flavors, and nutrition, consider any in-store specials, check out, pay, and pack their groceries. Anything that speeds up these activities is beneficial to the consumer.

The addition of nutrition data and scorecards to the front of packaging and at the grocery shelf helps shoppers choose healthier foods and spurs product developers to reexamine their formulations.

Read this story by Annette Maggi for the Institute of Food Technologists: IFT.Org

FoodieDoc, Anna Resurreccion, Phh.D

http://bit.ly/RI7SBJ

Sam’s Club® Recipe - Gingerbread Cookies Recipe...

Bob Gravani, former president of the Institute of Food Technologists, IFT, and fellow food safety expert Bob Brackett, also a member of IFT, provide excellent advice on tailgating that could save your life or that of a loved one.

Read on:  http://bit.ly/UKWPq4

FoodieDoc, Anna Resurreccion, Ph.D. Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists    

Tailgating is a fun American tradition where food is prepared and enjoyed near the back of a car or truck, often in the parking lot of a sporting, music or other large event. However, food-borne illness is no fun. Careful planning and onsite precautions can help ensure your food is safe to eat.

How do I pack for tailgating safely?

First, make sure you have enough large coolers (or a plug-in car cooler) to hold all of your food and beverages comfortably. Keep coolers clean by removing any standing water, and wiping out the interior with an antibacterial wipe or product. Make sure you have enough gel or ice packs, and ice, to keep food cold, especially on hot days.

Tips for packing:

Pack the perishables, especially raw foods, separate from drinks and ready-to-eat foodsPack meats separately from raw fruits and vegetables to avoid cross-contaminationKeep pre-made sandwiches and other foods tightly sealedPut mayonnaise and similar products on ice just before you leave for the stadium, and then place them in the cooler last, on top of the other itemsPack just the food you need to minimize leftoversMake sure you have a food thermometer to test food temperature

How should you safely handle meats while tailgating?
If you are going to cook hamburgers, it’s best to purchase already formed patties to minimize contact with the meat, and ultimately, cross contamination. Hand sanitizers, antibacterial wipes and disposable gloves can be used to ensure safe handling of raw foods. After you touch meat, never touch other foods. Throw gloves away after you use them, and immediately dispose of any food that falls, or comes in contact with, the ground or other unclean surface.

Can you cook food partially at home so it grills faster while tailgating?
Meat should be either cooked completely at home and then reheated at the game, or cooked completely at the game. If you partially cook meat you will need to refrigerate or cool the meat, and then bring it back to its final temperature.

Meat must be cooked thoroughly (not burned) to avoid the spread of E. coli, Salmonella or other microorganisms that cause food borne illness. Ideally, hamburgers and hot dogs should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees. A thermometer is the only way to confirm optimal meat temperature, so it’s recommended to bring one along.

How long can foods like hot dogs and hamburgers sit out without being refrigerated?
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), cooked foods should remain unrefrigerated or cooled no more than two hours.

What about mayonnaise-based foods, such as potato salad?
There is a misperception that mayonnaise-based products can easily make you sick. Mayonnaise is actually acidic, which protects foods against contamination from bacteria and viruses. However, like any perishable food, mayonnaise-based products should be placed in a cooler before and after the meal.

How do you keep hot food hot?
A crock pot, even one that is unplugged, can keep hot foods warm for several hours. In addition, there are warming devices that can directly plug into a car power outlet.

Are leftovers from a tailgate safe to eat?
When the tailgate is over, make sure that any leftovers are properly chilled, wrapped up and placed back into a cooler, or thrown away. In general, when in doubt throw it out!

Organic foods do not offer health advantages over conventional foods, says study. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has conducted an extensive analysis of scientific evidence surrounding organic produce, dairy products, and meat. They  found no direct evidence that consuming an organic diet leads to improved health or lower risk of disease.

There are some benefits:

They did find that organic foods have the same vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, proteins, lipids, and other nutrients as conventional foods, but they also have lower pesticide levels. Organically raised animals are also less likely to be contaminated with drug-resistant bacteria because organic farming rules prohibit the nontherapeutic use of antibiotics.

“What’s most important is that children eat a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products, whether those are conventional or organic foods. This type of diet has proven health benefits,” said Janet Silverstein, a member of the AAP Committee on Nutrition and one of the lead authors of the report. “Many families have a limited food budget, and we do not want families to choose to consume smaller amounts of more expensive organic foods and thus reduce their overall intake of healthy foods like produce.”

The report outlines the research that has been conducted on organic foods, including evidence of lower exposure to pesticides and less contamination of livestock with drug-resistant bacteria.

“At this point, we simply do not have the scientific evidence to know whether the difference in pesticide levels will impact a person’s health over a lifetime, though we do know that children—especially young children whose brains are developing—are uniquely vulnerable to chemical exposures,” said Joel Forman, a member of the AAP Council on Environmental Health and one of the lead authors of the AAP clinical report.

The AAP found no individual health benefit from purchasing organic milk, but emphasizes that all milk should be pasteurized to reduce the risk of bacterial infections. Purchasing meat from organic farms that do not use antibiotics for nontherapeutic uses has the potential to reduce antibiotic resistance in bacteria that infect people.

Read the document:

Report (pdf)

Curated by FoodieDoc, Anna Resurreccion