Washing raw poultry, beef, pork, lamb, veal, or seafood before cooking is not necessary. Although washing these raw foods may get rid of some of the pathogens on the surface of these foods, it may allow the pathogens to spread around the kitchen. Cooking these foods to a safe internal temperature will destroy any bacteria that may be present in the food. Use a clean food thermometer to make sure food has reached the proper temperature.

All poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F. (Sources: Kitchen Thermometers; Use a Food Thermometer)

Yes. By replacing the salt in your recipe with 2 parts of Minor's Base, the sodium, in your recipe can be reduced by 20%, along with retaining the same level of natural flavor enhancement. Minor's also carries a line of " Low Sodium Bases".

We use the minimal amount of salt necessary for preservation and flavoring. The amount varies from product to product.

America's food is among the safest in the world. But bacteria are everywhere, including on food, like meat, poultry, and egg products. If food isn't handled safely, harmful bacteria can multiply to dangerous levels and make people sick. There are four key safe food handling steps promoted under a national educational campaign by the Partnership for Food Safety Education called Fight BAC!®. These steps include: Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill. Cook" is one of the key steps.

If we used the same measurement for these categories, few – if any – items would receive Stars. Then you would not be able to distinguish the leaner choices among these foods. The advisory panel of experts made sure the formula recognizes the natural differences these foods have. The FDA makes a similar distinction in its evaluations.

We suggest using Minor's Bases at their peak quality. Most Minors' Bases are the best when used within one year. Seafood Bases are best when used within nine months.

Is it safe to eat leftover food that was left out on the counter to cool at dinnertime, then forgotten until morning? Will additional cooking kill the bacteria that may have grown

Your dog’s digestive system was designed to handle raw meat. After all, wild or zoo animals don’t eat cooked meat. We’ve been using raw meat for close to 20 years with fantastic results. Buy healthy selections of meat, always refrigerate or freeze, and follow recommended safe handling instructions on meat packaging. If you are still concerned, you can rinse meat in a solution of grapefruit seed extract or human-grade hydrogen peroxide mixed with water.

Almost. Starting in early-to-mid October '07, we will be introducing the option of organic meat and poultry. We'll probably start with poultry. If you have an existing order in the system and want to add the organic meat/poultry option, login to your account and modify your order. There will be an additional charge for organic meat/poultry based on our cost of the protein. We'll send out an email to notify you when you can begin ordering organic meat and poultry.

Because freezing keeps food safe almost indefinitely, recommended storage times are for quality only. Refer to the freezer storage chart at the end of Focus on Freezing, which lists optimum freezing times for best quality. If a food is not listed on the chart, you may determine its quality after defrosting. First check the odor. Some foods will develop a rancid or off odor when frozen too long and should be discarded.

Fresh and thawed seafood can be stored for up to 2- 3 days in the refrigerator. Live lobster can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours after receiving. Clams can be kept for 48 hours.

A - Before cooking seafood, wash the seafood in cold water to remove dirt and filth. Cook raw seafood thoroughly with a continuous heat source and avoid interrupted cooking. Never leave cooked seafood out of the fridge for more than thirty minutes.

No, you shouldn't mix kibble with the raw meat mixture, as they digest at different rates. Raw food is much more digestible, taking only 3-4 hours, while the kibble usually takes 9-12 hours. Kibble is a cooked processed product that is harder for the dog to digest because the molecules are bound tighter together. When raw meat and kibble are mixed together the meat will digest, meanwhile leaving some of the kibble to rise to body temperature and ferment.

Yes, it is safe to eat chicken and other poultry products that have been fully-cooked (fried, boiled or grilled). Do not eat poultry meat that is still pink or half-cooked/half-boiled eggs.

Keep uncooked products under refrigeration as much as possible. If you are not going to cook and eat the product the same day as purchased, it is generally advisable to freeze it until use. Cooked, left over, meats and poultry should be refrigerated within 2 hours after cooking. If it is necessary to keep cooked meats and poultry without refrigeration longer than 2 hours maintain their temperature at or above 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

No, meat and poultry should never be thawed in the conventional oven or at room temperature. There is greater danger of bacterial growth and food spoilage for food thawed at room temperature. Thaw meat and poultry in the refrigerator in the original wrappings. To speed thawing, loosen the wrapping. To keep other foods safe, put the thawing meat and poultry in a pan on the bottom shelf. For a quicker method, immerse meat or poultry in a watertight bag into cold water. Thaw until it is pliable.

Slaughtered meat and poultry should be put under refrigeration (32 - 36°F) immediately to remove animal heat from the carcass. Prompt and thorough chilling is important to reduce bacterial growth and decrease the action of enzymes which can lower the quality. Bone souring in beef and pork may also occur if carcasses are not properly chilled. Chill pork, lamb or veal 24 hours; beef 5 to 7 days.

You can buy it seasonally through Fruited Plain Cooperative Organization in Champaign-Urbana and directly from the farm. From late May through November you also can purchase it on Saturdays from the Moores at the Urbana Farmer's Market at Lincoln Square Mall. On Sundays, you can purchase it at the Frankfort Country Market in Frankfort, Illinois.

Freezer burn does not make food unsafe, merely dry in spots. It appears as grayish-brown leathery spots and is caused by air reaching the surface of the food. Cut the freezer-burned portions away either before or after cooking the food. Heavily freezer-burned foods may have to be discarded for quality reasons.

Raw soybeans contains anti-nutritional factors, such as a trypsin inhibitor, which lowers their nutritional value, thus they should not be fed to poultry. Soybean meal has been heated during processing to inactivate these factors.

No, meat and fish can be cooked from the frozen state if extra cooking time is allowed. The amount of time will depend on the size and shape of the cut. Large frozen roasts can take as much as 11/2 times as long to cook as unfrozen cuts of the same weight and shape. Small roasts and thin cuts such as steaks and chops require less time.

Absolutely, you can feed your pet a vegetarian diet. But the most important thing you will need to remember, since your pet won't be getting any meat, is to feed high quality protein with the meals, just as you do. The amino acids in meat are essential nutrients, and if you're not feeding meat, your pet will get all the necessary amino acids from tofu, grains and beans. As you learn more about feeding a raw diet, you'll likely bump into many people who are totally against feeding grains.

Always store raw meat alone on the bottom shelf of the fridge so that juices cannot drip onto other food. Never place other food in direct contact with raw meat, poultry, fish or unwashed vegetables. Pack your raw meat, poultry and fish separately at the supermarket.

Some weres who have a carnivorous animal as their wereside may crave or eat rare/raw meat. However, some weres have herbivorous animals, such as horses, as their wereside. Not all weres are wolves and cats.

Red fibers, which contain large amount of myoglobin (an iron-containing oxygen carrying compound), predominate in dark meat. These fibers abound in muscles which are used continuously, such as the leg muscles. White fibers contain little myoglobin since they are used little, such as the flight (pectoral) muscles of the domesticated chicken.

Myoglobin, a protein, is responsible for the majority of the red color, in meat and poultry. Myoglobin does not normally circulate in the blood but is fixed in the tissue cells. When bruising occurs during gathering, myoglobin circulates in the blood, and a small amount can be found in the meat after processing. This purplish color can leave small dark spots that resemble bruising. Exposure to light in the meat case can also affect color. (USDA) With spoilage there is almost always an off odor.

Some commercially packaged dry beans still contain bits of dirt and small rocks, but most are "triple cleaned" and require only a cursory inspection as they are poured into the grinding hopper. How can I add fiber to fast foods? Most of the time, that's all my family will eat! Usually, they only want what comes from a can or a box. SNEAK it in! Find some of their favorite foods (pizza, tacos, hamburgers) and fortify them by adding beans, bean flours and grains.