I prefer the texture of soft-boiled eggs versus hard-boiled eggs. Is it OK to use soft-boiled eggs for dyeing Easter eggs?
Well, that really depends on whether you plan to eat the Easter eggs or just use them for decoration.
Eggs are an important source of protein and are delicious to eat. However, they must be handled safely to prevent the chance of contracting a foodborne illness.
While it’s understandable that some people prefer the taste of soft-boiled eggs versus hard-boiled eggs, from a food safety standpoint, it is safer to use hard-boiled eggs for dyeing Easter eggs that you plan to eat. In fact, you should cook the eggs until both the yolk and the white are firm, not runny.
This is because eggs can contain salmonella, which is an organism that causes foodborne...
WOOSTER, Ohio—A cardinal has been pecking at the windows of the new but not yet open Secrest Arboretum Welcome and Education Center.
“It wants to be the first one in,” Jason Veil, curator of the arboretum in Wooster, said with a laugh.
With spring unfolding around them, Veil, his staff, and arboretum volunteers are preparing for two big events on May 11.
There’s an open house slated at the welcome center, which is the public’s first chance to tour the $2 million facility.
And there’s the annual Plant Discovery Day plant sale, which will be at the center, too.
The open house is a “chance for people to come in, check things out, ask questions, and help us celebrate that the center is finally open,” Veil...
WOOSTER, Ohio—Polymer scientist Judit E. Puskas, who coinvented the coating on a heart stent implanted in millions of Americans, has joined The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).
Puskas, who is also developing an innovative way to improve breast reconstruction after cancer surgery, was appointed a professor in CFAES’ Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering at the start of the year. A native of Hungary, she worked most recently at The University of Akron.
She will be based at the CFAES Wooster campus, where she will specialize in green polymer chemistry and biomaterials. She will also be a member of Ohio State’s newly created Sustainability Institute....
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Controlling where the cattle roam may soon get a whole lot easier.
Animal science researchers with The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) will be testing a virtual fence for cows and other livestock this summer. It’s akin to an invisible fence for a dog, triggering a harmless but attention-getting shock if the animal crosses an unseen boundary.
“It’s not a sharp pain. It’s like a mild punch,” said Anthony Parker, a professor of animal sciences and one of the CFAES researchers who will test the virtual fence.
Each cow or other animal will wear a smart collar guided by GPS. Then, using a device called eShepherd, the farmer will be able to remotely monitor the animals’...
Tip 1: Getting ready for the growing season: Farmers and producers in Ohio can expect to see a wet April followed by a warmer and not as wet May that includes the possibility of normal or even a bit below normal rainfall. Early indications for the summer growing season include normal or slightly above normal temperatures and possibly a bit wetter weather than normal; however, June could be a bit drier. That’s according to Jim Noel, with the National Weather Service. Noel’s weather updates are featured in the Crop Observation and Recommendation Network’s C.O.R.N Newsletter, which is offered by agronomists and educators with The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).
Tip 2: Lake Erie Watersnake...
Which fruits and vegetables are in season in the spring?
Rain and bright sunny days make spring a good time to indulge in a wide range of plentiful produce such as asparagus, cabbage, kale, spinach, and strawberries. Not only are these items extremely fresh and flavorful because they’re currently in season, but they’re also widely discounted because of the abundance of supply based on this time of year.
Because fruits and vegetables grow in cycles and ripen during certain seasons, produce typically is fresher and tastes best when ripe. And while most fruits and vegetables are available to consumers year-round thanks to agricultural innovations, seasonal fruits and vegetables are typically cheaper to buy because they are easier to produce than fruits and vegetables that...
Tip 1: Preventing Foodborne Illness on the Farm: A total of 72 people, including five living in Ohio, have been infected with the same strain of E. coli bacteria in a recent outbreak: E. coli O103. The investigation is ongoing and no specific food item, grocery store, or restaurant chain has been identified as the source of infections. Melanie Ivey, a fruit pathology and fresh produce safety specialist with The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), can answer questions about how transmission of bacteria and viruses can occur on the farm and can offer ways to prevent that. Also, Ohio State University Extension, the outreach arm of CFAES, hosts workshops on good agricultural practices, or GAPs, to teach farmers and their staff how to...
When is it ok to consume food that mold has grown on, and when should one throw the food away?
That depends, in part, on the type of food.
First, it’s important to understand what mold is.
Mold and yeast are generally considered spoilage organisms, as they cause undesirable changes to the appearance, texture, smell, and taste of the product, explains Abigail Snyder, an assistant professor and food safety field specialist for The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).
However, some instances of mold growth on food introduces food safety concerns, Snyder wrote in Mold Has Grown on Your Food: What Should You Do, a recent Ohioline fact sheet.
Ohioline is Ohio State University Extension’s free online...
Tip 1: Federal Farm Bill Explained: The $426 billion federal farm bill Congress passed in December has some changes in it that farmers and others would benefit from knowing about. On April 11, The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) and partners are hosting a Farm Bill Summit in Versailles, Ohio, to address those changes and what they may mean for the state’s farmers and producers. Speakers will address government assistance paid or partially paid for in the farm bill including crop insurance; compensation for farmers who set aside a portion of their land for conservation; and payments to farmers who grow corn, soybeans, wheat, and other commodities when losses occur due to low commodities prices or low revenue...
As a food blogger, I’ve written my own recipes before, but I’m wondering how I can incorporate the most updated food safety information into those recipes. Do you have any advice for me?
A new online tool that was launched this month will allow people who develop and write recipes to incorporate step-by-step food safety information into those recipes.
The Safe Recipe Style Guide was developed by food safety experts and food journalists as part of an effort to help educate consumers on safe food-handling practices. The free online tool, which is offered by the Partnership for Food Safety Education, a Virginia-based nonprofit food safety organization, provides recipe writers information about how to incorporate food tips into most recipes.
The...
