Shelf Life of Food and Food Safety
Ever question how long last night’s leftovers should be kept in the refrigerator? What about kitchen staples like sugar, flour, spices, pasta, rice, eggs or peanut butter, do they ever spoil? Should butter or cheese be frozen if it cannot be used quickly? What do labels on packaged food that say “best by” or “use by” really mean?
The price of food, coupled with the economic downturn, has caused many consumers to pay more attention to the storage of food they purchase and prepare. StillTasty: Your Ultimate Shelf Life Guide has compiled a website that will provide answers to those tricky questions. The Federal Government also provides advice for storing food on their Food Safety Website, with charts included that display safe storage times.
Find additional safe food practices from Michigan State’s cooperative extension office. A publication called Plate It Safe: 42 essential ways to be safe at the platehas tips for handling food safely, and the USDA publishes an online canning and preserving pamphlet.
The Monroe County Library System has an abundance of items about food storage and handling—be sure to “Check Us Out.”
The Beginner’s Guide to Preserving Food at Home
By Janet Chadwick
Fight BAC! Presenter’s Guide: Food Safety Education Program
Published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Information also available online via www.fightbac.org
Food Safety for Moms-To-Be (Kit)
Published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Grocery Gardening: Planting, Preparing, and Preserving Fresh Food
By Jean Ann Van Krevelen
How to Prevent Food Poisoning
By Elizabeth Scott
Independence Days: A Guide to Sustainable Food Storage & Preservation
By Sharon Astyk
Putting Food By
By Janet Greene, Ruth Hertzberg, and Beatrice Vaughan
Well-Preserved: Recipes and Techniques for Putting of Small Batches of Seasonal Foods
By Eugenia Bone
Whole Food Bible: How to Prepare Safe, Healthful Foods
By Chris Kilham
