Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we plan to host only our immediate family for Thanksgiving this year, but I still anticipate having leftovers. How long after Thursday can we safely eat the leftovers?
As COVID-19 safety restrictions tighten across the country, many families are changing their usual Thanksgiving plans, with many planning to put precautions in place at holiday gatherings such as social distancing and asking those with COVID-19 symptoms not to attend, according to a nationwide survey from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
The survey found that 79% of respondents say they plan to celebrate only with household members, 73% plan to follow social distancing measures, 67% plan to wear masks, and 62% plan to celebrate with no more than 10 people in...
COLUMBUS—Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has reappointed Cathann A. Kress, vice president of agricultural administration and dean of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) at The Ohio State University, to the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board.
Kress began her first term on the board in 2017. Her new term began on July 31, 2020, and will end on Jan. 25, 2023.
“Within the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, we take our land-grant mission seriously and seek to connect our science to issues impacting Ohioans,” said Kress. “I am honored to be reappointed to a board that has a critical role in protecting the welfare of livestock raised in Ohio, and balances scientific knowledge with professional experience and ethical...
COLUMBUS, Ohio—A group of spotted lanternflies, which feed on grapevines, hops, and fruit trees, was recently discovered in Ohio, triggering concerns the pest could become established and spread quickly.
In October, adult lanternflies were found outside a business in Jefferson County, adjacent to the Pennsylvania border.
Adult lanternflies won’t be seen during the winter months because they die off as temperatures drop below freezing. But before dying, the females typically lay 30–50 eggs, and come spring, their offspring could begin feeding.
“If there’s anything I’m personally losing sleep over, it’s this insect,” said Maria Smith, outreach specialist in grape production at The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural,...
I’m making a turkey for the first time because, this year, we’re staying home for Thanksgiving and avoiding our traditional large holiday gathering due to the pandemic. However, as a novice, I’m not sure how to thaw the turkey. What do I do?
Good question!
It’s very important that you thaw and cook your turkey safely to help avoid developing foodborne illnesses. Thawing a frozen turkey correctly helps minimize the growth of bacteria, which can cause foodborne illnesses. While frozen, a turkey is safe indefinitely. However, as soon as it begins to thaw, any bacteria that might have been present before freezing can begin to grow again, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service.
There are three safe ways to thaw a...
COLUMBUS, Ohio—With all the expenses that typically occurs during the winter holiday season, avoiding overspending can be hard. In fact, many struggle to stay within normal spending limits during the holidays, often taking months into the next year to pay off the resulting debt.
While this has become an annual issue for many consumers, the economic stress many are already dealing with now as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the issue to take on even more significance this year.
Already, some 49 percent of consumers say the pandemic has negatively impacted their holiday budgets, according to the 2020 Holiday Outlook by PwC, formerly Price Waterhouse Coopers. The international accounting firm’s survey of more than 1,000 consumers found that total holiday...
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Bringing higher rates of unemployment and poverty, the pandemic has also pushed more people into a struggle to buy the basics, including food.
Grocery store food prices have gone up only about 5% since January 2019, but with so many people out of work, food banks have seen a surge in demand, said Zoë Plakias, an assistant professor of agricultural, environmental, and development economics at The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).
While facing an increasing demand, food banks have also received fewer food donations from grocery stores that give their excess products. When stores can’t keep their shelves stocked, there can be less available for donation, Plakias said.
With many incomes...
COLUMBUS, Ohio—The Center for Foodborne Illness Research and Prevention (CFI) at The Ohio State University has been awarded a $770,000 grant to improve food safety and prevent foodborne illnesses in Kenya.
The initiative is one of four new research projects announced by the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Safety, which is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development as part of Feed the Future, the U.S. government’s global hunger and food security initiative.
The 3.5-year project, “Chakula salama: a risk-based approach to reducing foodborne diseases and increasing production of safe foods in Kenya,” includes a team of researchers from The Ohio State University, the University of Florida, Kenya Medical Research Institute, and the University...
I’m wondering if you can offer any tips to help me avoid gaining weight but still enjoy the fall and winter holidays? I’ve already gained several pounds while working from home due to COVID-19 and I’m worried that the holidays will cause me to gain even more.
With the holidays approaching, many people are concerned about trying to stay healthy while also enjoying all the rich, delicious foods and traditions associated with the many celebrations that are or will be soon occurring through the end of the year.
While the issue of maintaining your weight or avoiding weight gain over the holidays is something that many people focus on this time of year, the issue has taken on even more significance for many people this year who’ve already gained weight during the...
COLUMBUS, Ohio—A study done at Ohio meat-processing plants found very few employees were wearing required face masks.
Among the 37 workers interviewed at five meat-processing plants across the state, only nine wore face masks when surveyed at their job sites, according to the study by researchers with The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).
“What we found is they’re not seeing other people wearing masks, and they’re not seeing the advantage of wearing them,” said Joy Rumble, an assistant professor in CFAES and one of the lead researchers of the study.
The point of the study, done in June and July, was to determine why many meat-processing facility workers don’t wear masks,...
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Congratulations to Pat Brundige, whose impactful donations to the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) were recognized recently with The Ohio State University’s highest award for philanthropy.
Brundige, the biggest individual benefactor in CFAES’ history, received the Everett D. Reese Medal, the university’s highest honor in recognition of exceptional service in private philanthropy.
Her “see a need, fill a need” philosophy has led her to make numerous donations to Ohio State University Extension, particularly Ohio 4-H youth development. Over the years, she has given to the Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, the state 4-H research endowment fund, and camp scholarships for Ohio Military Kids...
