Summer Food Safety

The season is finally upon us to pull out the grill and have BBQ’s, picnics and outside gatherings.  Almost 1 in 6 Americans will have food poisoning this year, the majority of the cases occurring in the summer. No one is immune but babies, infants, older adults and those with compromised immune systems are at greater risk.  There are some basic tips to keep you and your family safe while you enjoy eating outside this summer.

• Keep everything clean! Wash utensils, surfaces and hands.  Even if you are going to peel fruits and vegetables, run them under water before consuming them.  Bring hand wipes and hand sanitizers when on the go.
• Make sure to keep everything separate. Have different plates for raw and cooked foods.  Cross contamination of raw and cooked foods is one of the most common ways to make yourself sick.
• Chill raw and prepared foods promptly below 40 degree F.

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  No prepared foods should be left out more than two hours (or one hour if it is above 90 degrees).  Bring insulated containers or ice packs to make sure food stays at a safe temperature and keep them out of the sun.

• Bring/ use a thermometer.  Always cook food to the correct internal temperature.  Some temperatures to know: Hamburger-160 degrees F, Chicken and turkey-165 degrees F, Steak-145 degree F, Egg dishes-160 degree F, Leftovers-165 degree F, Fin fish-145 degree F or flesh is opaque, (shellfish, flesh should be opaque).
• Marinate your proteins in the fridge.

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  Don’t use your raw marinade on cooked foods.

Summertime is a great time to eat healthy food and enjoy that sunshine.  Please just remember to stay safe and use the above safety tips!

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Grilled Rosemary-Salmon Skewers From EatingWell:  August/September 2006, Makes: 4 servings, 2 skewers each Active Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes

NUTRITION PROFILE

• 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound center-cut salmon fillet, skinned (see Tip) and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes

1. Preheat grill to medium-high.
2. Combine rosemary, oil, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add salmon; toss to coat. Alternating the salmon and tomatoes, divide among eight 12-inch skewers.
3. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the skewers, carefully turning once, until the salmon is cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes total. Serve immediately.

• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare the skewers (Step 2), cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Proceed with grilling (Steps 1 & 3) when ready to serve. | Equipment: Eight 12-inch skewers
• Tips: How to skin a salmon fillet: Place skin-side down. Starting at the tail end, slip a long knife between the fish flesh and the skin, holding down firmly with your other hand. Gently push the blade along at a 30° angle, separating the fillet from the skin without cutting through either.
• To oil the grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Don’t use cooking spray on a hot grill.)

Per serving: 172 calories; 7 g fat (1 g sat, 3 g mono); 53 mg cholesterol; 4 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 23 g protein; 1 g fiber; 200 mg sodium; 607 mg potassium. Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (60% daily value), Vitamin C (25% dv), Potassium (17% dv), Vitamin A (15% dv), excellent source of omega-3s.  

What are GMO’s

This week, Chipotle released a statement that they would remove all GMO’s from their menu. This will be very challenging, as over 90% of corn produced in the United States is GMO and Chipotle does admit they will not be able to fully remove all GMO’s from their ingredient list (in particular soda), but they are the first fast food restaurant to make this huge commitment. But what exactly are GMO’s and what are their impact to our food system?  GMO stands for genetically modified organism. What this basically means is that a scientist removes a gene from one organism and transplants it into another organism.  The predominate reason to do this is to make crops sturdier, more resistant to pests (insects) and render the need for pesticides virtually non existent. Sounds great, right?….not so much. Although there is no evidence that GMO foods are unsafe, most scientific studies have been funded by organizations that have financial ties to large biotech companies and benefit from claiming they raise no health concerns.  More and more countries in Europe are banning the usage of GMO foods do to possible/probable significant health concerns. Currently, there are no laws demanding labeling of foods that are GMO and consumers have no idea if they are consuming genetically engineered foods. The chances that you are consuming GE foods is great, as over 80-90% of all crops are GMO in this country. The best way to avoid genetically modified foods is to buy certified organic as those crops cannot knowingly contain GE (genetically engineered) seeds. One of the greatest concerns related to GE foods is the development of new allergens and toxins. Allergens are usually caused by proteins and GE crops produce new proteins when they are modified, which in turn can generate new allergens. If you have family members that have food sensitivities or food intolerances, it would be beneficial to pay attention to GE foods. The top GMO crops are:

•  Corn
• Soy
• Cotton
• Canola Oil
• Mlk
• Sugar (beets)
• Aspartame
• Yellow Squash
• Zucchini
• Papaya
• High fructose corn syrup
• Alfalfa

The best way to avoid these foods is to either buy produce that is certified organic or to look for a seal that states that the food you are purchasing is GMO free. It is important that as our food system changes, we educate ourselves and understand the foods we are consuming and make sure what we feed ourselves and our families is safe. Roasted Asparagus and Baby Artichokes Recipe from Cooking Light       Ingredients 20 baby artichokes (about 2 1/2 pounds) 5 thin lemon slices 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces 2 tablespoons butter, melted 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 1/2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted Preparation 1. Place a large baking sheet in oven. Preheat oven to 450°. (Leave baking pan in oven as it heats.) 2. Cut off top third of each artichoke. Trim stem to within 1 inch of base; peel stem. Remove bottom leaves and tough outer leaves, leaving tender middle and bottom. Cut each artichoke in half lengthwise. Place artichokes, lemon slices, and 1 tablespoon oil in a bowl; toss to coat. Arrange mixture in a single layer on hot baking sheet. Roast at 450° for 15 minutes or until almost done and beginning to brown, stirring well after 10 minutes. 3. Toss asparagus with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil. Stir asparagus into artichoke mixture. Roast at 450° for 10 minutes or until tender, stirring after 5 minutes. 4. Place vegetable mixture in a large bowl. Add butter and next 4 ingredients (through pepper); toss gently to combine. Sprinkle evenly with pine nuts.

Recipe Time

Hands-on: 17 Minutes Total: 52 Minutes

Nutritional Information

Calories 138 Fat 6.8 g Sat fat 2.3 g Monofat 2.9 g Polyfat 1 g Protein 6 g Carbohydrate 18 g Fiber 9 g Cholesterol 8 mg Iron 3 mg Sodium 255 mg Calcium 79 mg