Instructions

• Step 1: Look for “jets” Look for pineapples with labels or tags that identify them as “jets” or “jet fresh” if you don’t live in the Hawaiian tropics. Pineapples don’t get any riper than when they’re harvested, and are subject to bruises and rot during transit. The freshest pineapples are flown by jet to their destinations.
• Step 2: Consider the color Look for bright gold color on the skin’s eyes around the base of the pineapple. It is possible for a ripe pineapple to be green, but it is also possible for a green pineapple to not be ripe. If the pineapple is reddish-bronze in color, it is overripe.
• TIP: The stem end of the pineapple is the ripest, and the higher up the pineapple the yellow color goes, the more even the flavor will be.
• Step 3: Consider the appearance Consider the pineapple’s appearance. Wrinkled skin indicates overripe fruit.
• Step 4: Smell the pineapple Smell the pineapple at its base. A ripe pineapple will emit a slight, pleasant pineapple aroma. If the pineapple smells of vinegar or acetone, it is beginning to rot.
• Step 5: Feel the pineapple Feel the pineapple’s skin. A ripe pineapple’s skin should be firm and slightly yielding. Mushy skin indicates deterioration.
• Step 6: Look for other indicators Avoid buying pineapples showing other signs of deterioration, such as leakage, mold, cracks, gumminess, and brown, withered leaves.
• FACT: Pineapples are about 80 percent water.

You Will Need

• Method of transport tags
• Keen senses

Instructions

• Step 1: Check the FDA website Check for a list of recalled eggs on the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, website, at fda.gov.
• Step 2: Do not eat recalled eggs Throw away eggs that have been recalled, and thing about curbing your egg consumption temporarily. Be aware that they may still be in grocery stores and restaurants after the recall.
• TIP: If you have purchased recalled eggs, discard them or take them back to the store for a refund.
• Step 3: Keep eggs refrigerated Keep non-recalled eggs refrigerated at home at a temperature below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Discard any cracked or dirty eggs.
• TIP: If the eggs have been pasteurized, they will be safe to eat.
• Step 4: Cook eggs well Cook eggs until they are hard-boiled. If the yolk or white runs or drips, it is not cooked enough.
• Step 5: Wash your hands Always wash your hands, utensils, and kitchen surfaces after they have been in contact with raw eggs. By following this “egg-celent” advice, you should have no difficulty weathering the next salmonella egg recall.
• FACT: As of 2010, China was the world’s largest egg producer.

You Will Need

• Internet access
• List of recalled eggs
• Health precautions
• Retail store (optional)
• Pasteurized eggs (optional)

Instructions

• Step 1: Wash your hands Wash your hands well with warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food, after using the toilet or changing a diaper, or picking up after your dog.
• TIP: Be wary of touching reptiles, amphibians, and birds. If you do touch, wash hands immediately or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Step 2: Separate food preparation Use different utensils, cutting boards, and dishware to prepare raw meat and eggs. Never use the same utensil or dish for raw and cooked food unless you wash it first with warm soapy water.
• Step 3: Sanitize surfaces Use paper towels and antibacterial cleaner or bleach to clean surfaces exposed to raw meat or eggs.
• TIP: Wash cloth kitchen rags and sponges often in the hot cycle of your washing machine or dishwasher to kill germs.
• Step 4: Cook food to safe temperatures Cook food well enough to kill any bacteria. Use a clean food thermometer to measure the internal temperature of meat, poultry, casseroles, and other foods to make sure they have reached a safe minimum temperature. For instance, poultry should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Step 5: Avoid raw eggs Steer clear of foods made with raw or undercooked eggs, such as raw cookie dough, homemade ice cream, and homemade eggnog. If you must eat raw eggs, ensure that they have been pasteurized.
• Step 6: Refrigerate promptly Store promptly any leftover foods in the refrigerator. While safe food handling takes a bit of effort, the payoff in avoiding a potential harmful stomach bug is worth it!
• FACT: 80 salmonella cases were reported in Subway sandwich shops in a 2010 outbreak involving 26 Illinois counties.

You Will Need

• Soap
• Separate utensils
• cutting boards and dishware
• Paper towels
• Antibacterial cleaner or bleach
• Meat thermometer
• Pasteurized raw eggs
• Hand sanitizer (optional)

Instructions

• Step 1: Drink liquids and get rest Drink plenty of liquids and get rest if you experience symptoms of salmonella poisoning. These include diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, and vomiting.
• TIP: Be cautious about taking anti-diarrhea medication. It can reduce cramping, but may prolong the diarrhea.
• Step 2: Understand the usual course Know that the symptoms usually go away by themselves in 4 to 7 days. Be aware that the symptoms can be more serious in infants, older persons, and those with chronic illnesses.
• Step 3: Call your doctor Call your doctor if your symptoms are severe. Antibiotics may be prescribed if your doctor thinks the infection has spread to your bloodstream.
• Step 4: Understand the need for IV fluids Be aware that if you have severe diarrhea, you may require intravenous fluids to help you rehydrate. Now rest easy knowing that your salmonella poisoning symptoms are under control.
• FACT: 1.4 million cases of salmonella poisoning occur in the United States each year.

You Will Need

• Liquids and rest
• Doctor
• Antibiotics
• Intravenous fluids

Instructions

• Step 1: Understand the usual course Be aware that symptoms of salmonella poisoning usually go away by themselves in four to seven days. But the illness can be more serious in infants, older persons, and persons with chronic illnesses.
• Step 2: Make a doctor’s appointment Make an appointment with your doctor if your symptoms are severe. You will be given a physical exam and checked for for a tender abdomen and tiny pink spots on your skin.
• Step 3: Have a stool culture done Know that the conventional way to test for salmonella poisoning is through a stool culture. In this test, a sample is placed in a special medium where bacteria are then grown.
• TIP: In some cases positive cultures can be obtained from urine samples
• Step 4: Have a blood test Understand that if your doctor suspects that you may have a salmonella infection in your bloodstream, a sample of your blood may be tested for the bacteria. In this test, bacteria in the blood are grown on a nutrient substance for purposes of identification. Now get well and take precautions so you don’t get sick again.
• FACT: As of 2010, an estimated 1.4 million cases of salmonella poisoning occur in the United States each year.

You Will Need

• Symptoms
• Doctor

Instructions

• Step 1: Wash your hands Wash your hands thoroughly after using the restroom, handling raw meat or poultry, touching reptiles or birds, or cleaning pet feces. Washing your hands can help prevent spreading salmonella to your mouth or cross-contaminating food you are cooking.
• Step 2: Wash produce Wash produce before eating. Salmonella can infect fruit and vegetables if they are irrigated with contaminated water or fertilized with contaminated manure.
• TIP: Don’t waste your money on fancy vegetable washes, which have little more effect than water.
• Step 3: Cook meat Cook meat and poultry thoroughly and to proper temperatures. Don’t rely on the color of the meat to determine when it’s done — use a meat thermometer.
• Step 4: Avoid eating raw eggs Avoid eating raw eggs. Raw eggs are commonly found in foods like Hollandaise sauce, cookie dough, and eggnog.
• Step 5: Avoid cross contamination of food Avoid cross-contamination of food. Uncooked meat should be kept away from produce, cooked food, and uncooked food.
• TIP: Use separate cutting boards in the kitchen — one for raw meat and one for fruits and vegetables.
• Step 6: Clean your kitchen Clean any surfaces in your kitchen immediately after they have been in contact with uncooked meat. Wash each area with warm, soapy water or a mild bleach solution. A clean kitchen can save you a trip to the hospital.
• FACT: Although salmonella is named after veterinarian Dr. Daniel Elmer Salmon, his research assistant actually discovered the first strain.

You Will Need

• Soap and water
• Meat thermometer
• Bleach
• Cutting boards (optional)

Instructions

• Step 1: Observe the physical signs Look for abdominal cramps, vomiting, fever, and diarrhea, as these are the main physical indicators of the salmonella bacteria. These symptoms generally diminish without medical intervention in four to seven days.
• TIP: Babies, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems are at the highest risk of contracting severe cases of salmonella poisoning.
• Step 2: Calculate the incubation period Be aware that the bacteria’s incubation period is generally 12 to 72 hours after the onset of infection. Think back to what you ate or touched during that period to determine if it’s salmonella poisoning.
• TIP: Reptiles, baby chicks, and pet rodents, such as gerbils, may also carry the salmonella bacteria. Be sure to wash your hands after handling these animals.
• Step 3: Discern what you ingested Examine the leftovers of the foods you ate. While they may appear safe, beef, poultry, eggs, milk, and vegetables are often salmonella culprits. Check for recent recalls to see if any of your food was involved.
• Step 4: Seek medical care Seek medical care for severe symptoms, as you may need to be treated for dehydration. Additionally, a stool sample or blood test can confirm the presence of the salmonella bacteria.
• Step 5: Be aware of outbreaks Look for multiple cases involving the same symptoms and the same food source, which could indicate an outbreak of salmonella poisoning. Prevent spreading it with proper sanitary procedures, such as frequent hand washing, and don’t indulge in potentially unhealthy practices, such as eating raw cookie dough.
• FACT: Potentially deadly typhoid fever is caused by a strain of the salmonella bacteria that is common in developing regions of Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

You Will Need

• Foods
• Recalls
• Medical care
• Multiple cases

Transcript

Woman: Crisper not living up to its name?

Man: Quick tips!

Woman: Use newspaper to line the drawer and wrap vegetables. The paper will keep them fresh by absorbing moisture. Perfect!

Instructions

• Step 1: Go to a reputable fish market Go to a reputable fish market. If you live near the ocean, this is easy enough. If you don’t, you may have to ask around, search for online reviews, or rely on your instincts.
• Step 2: Check the eyes Look at the fish’s eyes if you are buying whole fish. They should be clear, not cloudy. If the eyes are cloudy, then the fish is old.
• Step 3: Check the flesh Press the flesh to test it for elasticity. The flesh should be firm and springy, and it should appear shiny.
• TIP: Dark spots and bruises on the flesh indicate poor quality.
• Step 4: Smell the fish Smell the fish. It should not have a strong, “fishy” odor. Most fresh fish should smell faintly of the ocean. Fresh flounder should have no smell at all, and white fish should smell of melon or cucumber.
• Step 5: Check the gills Look at the fish’s gills, which should be wet and appear bright red or bright pink. If they are faded or graying, or if the gills are dry or slimy, the fish is old.
• Step 6: Check for separation Check for separation or gaps in the flesh of fillets. The flesh on a fish fillet should be tight with no separation. If there is any liquid on the meat it should be clear and not milky or slimy. A fresh fillet from a white fish should be translucent and not discolored.
• Step 7: Check smoked fish Feel smoked fish to check for firmness. Fresh smoked fish should never be sticky and should appear glossy and have a smoky aroma. However you like your fish prepared, the closer it is to when it was caught, the fresher the taste will be.
• FACT: The largest fish in the ocean is the whale shark, which can grow more than 50 feet long and weigh more than two tons.

You Will Need

• Fish market
• Whole fish
• Discerning senses
• Fish fillets
• Smoked fish

Instructions

• : Consult a medical professional or poison control if you think you may have ingested inedible fruit.
• Step 1: Use your eyes Examine wild berries closely. Pay careful attention to the fruit’s size and color, and note as many other physical characteristics as possible, including its arrangement on the bush or vine, the color of the bush’s flower, and the number of leaves growing beneath the fruit.
• Step 2: Use a guide Check the information you find against a field guide to identify the particular berry and know whether it’s edible.
• TIP: Use a field guide with color photos to make identification easier.
• Step 3: Use a mnemonic Stuck without a field guide? Remember this rhyme:White and yellow kill a fellow.Purple and blue, good for you.
• Step 4: Check the number When dealing with red berries, see how many pieces of fruit grow in one location — if the fruit grows in small clusters, it’s likely poisonous, while those that grow as single berries are more likely to be edible.
• Step 5: Eat up Checking out berries in the store? Avoid berries that have fuzz or mold growing on them. If you know a berry’s good, though, chow down and enjoy the vitamins, cancer-fighting antioxidants, and great taste.
• FACT: Strawberries are the only fruit whose seeds grow on the outside.

You Will Need

• Senses
• Field guide

Transcript

Man: Short shelf life?

Woman: Quick tips!

Man: Add a pinch of table salt to milk to keep it fresher longer. Delicious!

Instructions

• Step 1: Observe the papaya’s color Look at the color of the papaya. Papayas are picked when they are still green and hard to minimize potential bruising during shipping. Buy a papaya when it is half green and half yellow. It will further ripen at home at room temperature and will be ready to eat when it is predominantly yellow.
• TIP: Papayas will ripen more quickly when put in a paper bag with ethylene-producing fruits, such as apples or bananas.
• Step 2: Note the stem end Examine the end where the stalk was. The papaya will ripen well if there is a yellow ring, but if the ring is green, it won’t ripen.
• Step 3: Examine the papaya’s skin Examine the papaya’s skin. Wrinkled skin will not affect the taste of the papaya, but sunken areas or bruises indicate rough handling during transit.
• Step 4: Press the papaya Press on the papaya with your fingers. A ripe papaya should be soft and retain slight indentations, but a papaya that isn’t ripe will be hard. If it is too soft and mushy, it’s overripe.
• Step 5: Smell the papaya Smell the papaya. A ripe papaya will smell faintly sweet. If the papaya has no scent, it isn’t ripe yet. But if it has a strong, sweet odor, it’s overripe.
• FACT: Hawaii is the only state in the U.S. to commercially produce papayas.

You Will Need

• Keen senses
• Papayas
• Paper bag (optional)
• Apple or banana (optional)

Instructions

• Step 1: Wash hands Wash your hands for 20 seconds before preparing food, after handling raw foods, after you use the bathroom, and before you eat.
• Step 2: Wash Wash and scrub your vegetables before eating.
• Step 3: Use different cutting boards Use two different cutting boards: one for vegetables and one for meat.
• Step 4: Keep refrigerated Keep your meat, poultry, and seafood refrigerated. Limit the time between buying your meat products and getting them home.
• Step 5: Cook meat well Cook your meat until it reaches a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
• TIP: Use a meat thermometer to ensure the meat has cooked to the appropriate temperature.
• Step 6: Keep foods at appropriate temperature Keep hot cooked foods above 140 degrees and cold foods below 40 degrees before being served.
• Step 7: Refrigerate leftovers Refrigerate leftovers within two hours, or one hour on hot days. Keeping your food safe will help to keep your family healthy.
• FACT: Consumption of any food or beverage that has been contaminated by animal manure can result in contracting E. coli.

You Will Need

• Soap
• 2 cutting boards
• Refrigerator
• Meat thermometer (optional)

Instructions

• Step 1: Fill bowl Do the float test: put the egg in a deep bowl of water. If it sinks straight to the bottom, it’s fresh. If it floats, it means it’s old, but may still be safe to eat. Proceed to the crack test.
• Step 2: Put egg in bowl Crack a floater into a bowl and give it a sniff: if it gives off an unpleasant odor, throw it out.
• Step 3: Watch the egg No odor? Examine the egg white: a pink or iridescent appearance means it’s spoiled. Don’t worry about red spots — they represent blood vessel ruptures that occurred at the time of ovulation and have nothing to do with safety or freshness.
• TIP: A cloudy egg white means the egg is very fresh; a clear egg white means the egg is aging.
• Step 4: Crack egg Disregard the color of the yolk — it varies in accordance with the hen’s diet. And a green ring on a hard-cooked yolk simply means you overcooked it.
• FACT: When a hard-boiled egg is difficult to peel, it means it’s very fresh.

You Will Need

• Bowl
• Egg

Transcript

Female: Just need a bit of onion?

Male: Quick tips!

Female: Leave the skin intact on the rest, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate. It will last up to a week. Nifty!

Instructions

• Step 1: Inspect the beef Inspect the raw piece of beef. Beef that has spoiled will have a change of color and will have faded or darkened. Fresh meat is purplish in color and will change to a cherry red color when exposed to oxygen. Grey, green, or brown coloring may indicate spoiled beef.
• TIP: The color of beef is also influenced by the age, species, sex, and diet of the animal. Meat from an older animal and exercised muscles may be darker.
• Step 2: Smell Smell the beef. Spoiled beef has an off-odor. It may have an ammonia or sulfur smell.
• Step 3: Touch Touch the beef. Spoiled beef feels tacky to the touch.
• Step 4: Inspect cooked beef Inspect cooked beef. Spoiled cooked beef will be sticky or slimy and have an unpleasant odor.
• Step 5: Discard Do not consume spoiled beef; discard it and order in instead!
• FACT: The introduction of cattle cars and refrigerated cars on the railroad made distribution of beef possible.

You Will Need

• Beef
• Observation skills

Transcript

Woman: Sick of throwing out spoiled cottage cheese?

Man: Quick Tips!

Woman: Store it upside down in the back of the refrigerator. It will keep for up to a week longer. Easy!

Instructions

• Step 1: Check the color Look at the avocado’s color. Avocados that aren’t yet ripe are pale to dark green. Ripe avocados are dark green to greenish-brown, and an avocado that is dark brown to black is rotten.
• TIP: Avocados reach peak ripeness just before they begin to rot. If the avocado has only slightly rotten parts inside, it’s still good to eat.
• Step 2: Pull out the stem Determine if an avocado is rotten by prying the stem from the top of the avocado. If the bottom of the stem is mushy, black, or mildewed, the avocado is probably rotten.
• Step 3: Feel the avocado Pick up the avocado. If it is hard and unyielding, it isn’t ripe yet. If it’s overly soft and mushy, it’s rotten.
• Step 4: Cut it open Cut open the avocado with a knife. If it’s dark green near the skin and pale green near the stone, it’s ripe. But if the meat is separated, stringy, and brown or black, it’s rotten. If the meat of a ripe avocado is exposed to air, it’ll brown quickly, but you can skim off the top layer and still use the avocado.
• FACT: Archaeologists in Peru have found domesticated avocado seeds buried with Incan mummies dating back to 750 BCE.

You Will Need

• Avocados
• Knife

Transcript

Man: Parmesan going bad fast?

Woman: Quick Tips!

Man: Re-wrap it tightly in new plastic after each use. Fresh!

Instructions

• Step 1: Look at the stem and cap Look at the eggplant’s stem and cap. They should be bright green. If the stem and cap are faded or browning, the eggplant is old and overripe.
• TIP: Smaller eggplants tend to be less bitter than larger ones.
• Step 2: Examine the skin Look at the eggplant’s skin. It should be deep and dark all the way around, and free of scars and discoloration.
• Step 3: Feel the eggplant Hold the eggplant in the palm of your hand and gently squeeze it with your fingertips. The skin should be slightly elastic and spring back when you release it. If indentations remain where your fingertips were, the eggplant isn’t ripe yet.
• Step 4: Look for bruises Look for soft spots or bruises on the skin of the eggplant. Scarring or bruising on the skin is indicative of damaged or decayed flesh underneath.
• FACT: Thomas Jefferson is credited with bringing the eggplant to the United States.

You Will Need

• Eggplants
• Discerning eyes

Instructions

• Step 1: Check the aroma Check the fruit’s aroma. Ripe fruit has a pleasant scent.
• TIP: The pleasing smell of ripe fruit evolved as a cue to animals that the fruit is ready to eat.
• Step 2: Taste the fruit Taste similar fruit for sweetness. Many fruit vendors will gladly provide samples to customers.
• Step 3: Look for softness Examine the fruit for softness. As fruit ripens their cell walls are broken down by enzymes and the fruit becomes juicy.
• Step 4: Observe the color Observe the fruit’s color. As fruit ripens, it loses water, causing its surface to take on a waxy sheen.
• FACT: Apples originated in the Caucasian mountains of Asia Minor.

You Will Need

• Fruit
• Sensory awareness

Instructions

• Step 1: Check the expiration date Check the expiration date on the product to determine its shelf-life.
• Step 2: Avoid sticky and slimy meat Avoid meat and poultry that is slimy, tacky to the touch, or that emits a bad odor.
• TIP: Fading or darkening meat can also indicate spoilage.
• Step 3: Smell fish for freshness Smell fish for freshness. Fish should be odorless, have no signs of yellowing, and should not curl at the edges.
• Step 4: Get rid of potatoes Get rid of potatoes that have a wrinkly appearance, are discolored, or develop sprouts.
• Step 5: Throw away canned food Throw away canned foods that are leaking, bulging, or have a foul smell. These are indications of botulism.
• Step 6: Toss milk Toss milk that has a bad odor or the consistency of yogurt.
• Step 7: Discard fruits and vegetables Discard fruits and vegetables that are wilting, mushy, slimy, or smell bad.
• FACT: Each year 76 million people in the United States become sick with food-borne illnesses.

You Will Need

• Sense of sight
• Sense of smell
• Sense of touch

Transcript

Female: Tired of throwing out crusty, old, cheese butts?

Male: Quick tips!

Female: Rub cut surfaces with vegetable oil before wrapping tightly in wax paper and then plastic wrap. Yummy!

Transcript

Man: Brown sugar a brick?

Woman: Quick tips!

Man: Store it in the freezer inside a freezer bag. Let it reach room temperature before using. Sweet!