Fresh-cut Products Workshop Provides Hands-On Opportunities
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Fresh Produce and Cut Flower Irradiation Workshop
Next week, September 1st and 2nd, we will be hosting a dynamic and interactive workshop taking a look at the use of irradiation on fresh produce and cut flowers. The workshop will bring together leaders in food irradiation, agriculture, and regulators to describe the benefits and drawbacks of irradiation for U.S. exporters of perishable commodities. This workshop has been partially underwritten through a USDA grant, and also by the PMA, and will bring together leaders in the food irradiation industry and agricultural industry to discuss technical information, from both a regulatory and industry perspective, on the benefits and drawbacks this technology can offer to the U.S. exporting agricultural sector for perishable commodities. Use this link for additional information, or you may register on-line to attend this campus-based workshop.
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Food Safety Tips from Postharvest Center Team Featured in the Sacramento Bee
University of California's Postharvest Technology Research & Information Center's Christine Bruhn and Jim Gorny were featured experts in an article about Grilling, Fresh Produce, and Kitchen food safety tips which appeared in today's Sacramento Bee. Some food safety tips excerpted from the article:
GRILLING
Here are some tips from Bruhn to keep in mind during your cookouts, she knows it doesn't take much undercooked ground beef to make a person seriously sick:
• Be careful of cross-contamination: "Some people use the same plate to carry both the raw and cooked (food). People might rinse the plate, but those bacteria are still there. Water is not enough. You need a clean plate."
Same goes for that burger-flipping spatula. Don't risk using it to load raw burgers – and then to remove the cooked ones. Either keep two handy or thoroughly clean the one that has touched the raw meat.
• Don't use color as a guideline for doneness: "Many believe that meat is done when it turns brown. Color is not an adequate indicator of the thoroughness of cooking. One out of four burgers turn brown before they reach 160 degrees, which is the recommended temperature."
• Invest in a cooking thermometer and use it: "Most people don't want to take the temperature of a hamburger because they think it's too much work. My graduate student is doing a project watching people prepare burgers, and none of them used a thermometer. They say, 'Oh, it's ready,' but a third of the burgers had not reached the proper temperature."
• Rare steak is OK, but make sure the meat's surface is seared: "Steak is different than ground beef. With steak, the bacteria is on the surface and on the edges. So if you just sear it, you're (killing) the bacteria. With ground beef, since it's all ground and mixed up, what used to be on the surface is now on the inside."
• Eat charred food in moderation: "Grilled veggies are so yummy and you get some of those burnt parts that taste so good. But eating too much charred food is bad. Some chemicals, eaten in sufficient quantities, can be carcinogenic. That's still eating it a lot, every day. A little charring on burgers is OK. The buildup will be low and you will naturally remove those toxins."
Heed some simple tips from James Gorny, a food-safety expert with UC Davis' Department of Plant Sciences, and your greens will be good to go.
"The health benefits far outweigh the risks," says Gorny. "Mom was right: Eat your fruits and vegetables."
Here are Gorny's safety tips for produce:
• Keep your fruits and veggies clean: "All produce should be thoroughly washed. It can wash off dirt or residue, and pesticides if they're present. You can scrub (melons) and more firm produce with a brush and dry with a clean cloth or towel – not the one you cleaned chicken juice with."
• Wash your produce under running water instead of soaking: "We found that loosens up contaminants better. Wash with cold, clean water. Don't use commercial detergents. Those aren't meant for washing food."
• Some prepackaged produce needs to be washed: "Most bagged salads have been triple washed and you don't need to wash them again. Heads of romaine lettuce or hearts that come in bags, those are raw agricultural products and need to be washed thoroughly."
• Separate your produce from other food items in the fridge: "Keep (produce) separated from raw meat, poultry and eggs. Treat your produce like milk. We all hurry home from the store and put milk in the refrigerator as soon as possible."
• Store fruits and vegetables in a clean refrigerator at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below, with some exceptions: "Some groups you want to store at room temperature: tomatoes, bananas. Those have subtropical or tropical origins, and can get chill injury in the refrigerator."
• Don't buy bruised or overripe fruit: "If you're unsatisfied with your produce, take it back and give them feedback. They'll typically give you a refund, no questions asked."
IN THE KITCHEN
Finally, let's head into the kitchen and check some food- safety strategies for this favorite room. The kitchen can be a hotbed for bacteria, so UC Davis' Bruhn has some safety tips.
• Don't overlook that filthy faucet: "If you've got bacteria on your hands and touch the faucet, and then you (wash your hands) and touch the faucet again, then whoops! You've just reintroduced the bacteria on your hands. People forget about taking care of that faucet."
• Your favorite kitchen towel is probably filthy as well: "Kitchen towels are used multiple times on different surfaces. I advise people to use disposable paper towels. I can assure you it's the cleanest."
• Know when to get your leftovers into the refrigerator: "If you've had friends over for dinner, (leftovers) should be put in the refrigerator within two hours, or within one hour (if it has been) in a 'hot' zone (90 degrees Fahrenheit or above)."
• Keep your refrigerator at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder: "40 to 140 degrees is the 'hot zone' for bacteria to grow. I recommend that people buy a refrigerator thermometer. If you're watching your pennies, have the fridge so cold that any colder and your lettuce would freeze. You should err on the side of being too cold."
Link to the complete article: http://www.sacbee.com/livinghere/story/1835990.html
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New Leonard & Marsaille Morris Gift to Fund Postharvest Research & Education
The Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis recently received a new Postharvest Group Endowment from the trust of Leonard and Marsaille Morris in the amount of $100,000. The funds generated from the interest on this endowment are to be used for postharvest research and education. Leonard Morris was a Professor of Postharvest Physiology at UC Davis from 1941 to 1982 and he died at age 88 on 23 January, 2003.
A number of photos taken by Morris continue to be utilized on the Postharvest Technology Research & Information Center's web site, including the attached physical defect photo of asparagus bending. More than 20 articles authored or co-authored by Morris are available on the Center's web-based library.
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Antalya, Turkey: Postharvest Short Course for Enterprises in Developing & Emerging Economies
A five day intensive study of current technologies and best practices associated with the postharvest handling of fresh fruits and vegetables will be offered in Antalya, Turkey.
Offered collaboratively by the University of California, Davis, and Akdeniz University in Antalya, Turkey, this exciting course will be offered April 13-17, 2009. The course is limited to 25 participants from countries with developing or emerging economies. It is designed specifically as a "train the trainer" educational outreach event for public and private sector professionals interested in quality assurance and extension activities related to fresh produce quality, safety and marketability. Three field trips are also scheduled.
Course instructors include:
- Adel Kader
- Michael Reid
- Marita Cantwell
- Beth Mitcham
- Jim Gorny
- Mustafa Erkan and Associates
The course will be held at the Dedeman Antalya Resort Hotel & Convention Center, immediately after the International Postharvest Symposium (April 8-12). For more information, or to register on-line: http://ucanr.org/antalyashortcourse
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