CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 12/06/07

Safe dishes are prepared by safe cooks

By Sharon Omahen
University of Georgia

Cooking and sharing meals with loved ones is a traditional part of the holiday season. But don’t forget to take care of the leftovers, or you could invite foodborne illnesses to your holiday party, says a University of Georgia food safety expert.

"It's great to spend time with family members after a holiday dinner. Just take the time to put away food dishes first," said Michael Doyle, director of the UGA Center for Food Safety in Griffin, Ga.

Refrigerate or freeze holiday meals within two hours of serving them, he said. Refrigerators should be set at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Freezers should be at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below.

"Temperatures are critical when it comes to keeping food safely stored and cooking food," Doyle said. "Many home refrigerators are way out of the safe zone of 41 degrees Fahrenheit. A refrigerator set at 50 degrees Fahrenheit is what we microbiologists call an incubator. That's where we grow bacteria for research."

Whether you're making leftover ham or turkey dishes, be sure to reheat leftovers to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit, Doyle said.

After four days, though, leftovers should be eaten, frozen or thrown away, he said.

“Americans like to share food along with their good times and celebrations. But without using proper handling rules, you could share foodborne illness with your family and friends," said Elizabeth Andress, a food safety specialist with the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences.

She offers these tips for proper food handling:

* Wash your hands before and during food preparation.

* Defrost frozen meats, poultry and fish inside your refrigerator or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit and thoroughly cook food immediately after defrosting in a microwave.

* Clean and sanitize food preparation surfaces after exposure to raw meats, poultry, fish or eggs.

* Cook ground beef and other meats, poultry and eggs thoroughly.

* To store food, divide into smaller quantities that will cool quickly.

* Transport food in insulated carriers designed for hot or cold foods. Keep hot foods above 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sharon Omahen is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Experts/Sources:
Elizabeth L. Andress
Michael P. Doyle
uga commencement CAES News
CAES to celebrate new graduates during May 9 convocation 04/18/24 Sameeka Prabath Rajamani
As another academic year draws to a close, the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is gearing up for its Athens campus convocation ceremony, which will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 9, at The Classic Center in Athens. “Each year, it’s an honor to celebrate the success of our CAES graduates,” said CAES Dean and Director Nick T. Place. “It’s amazing what these students accomplish during their time with us, and I’m always excited to commemorate this next step in their lives as they continue on to either further studies or the start of their careers.”
A student harvests red clover at UGArden. CAES News
UGA horticulture class shows students the science behind herbal remedies 04/16/24 Sameeka Prabath Rajamani
The field of medicine is ever-changing, and the use of herbal medicines may play a bigger role in health care as the value of natural remedies gain recognition in the Western world. Students at the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are delving into the field of medicinal remedies through the class “Herbs, Spices and Medicinal Plants.” Offered to undergraduate students through the Department of Horticulture, the class helps students develop a deeper understanding of the connection between nature and health.
Using robotics to help sort onions on Georgia farms CAES News
Using robotics to help sort onions on Georgia farms 04/15/24 David Mitchell
During the pandemic, labor problems became acute on many farms in Georgia and across the country. Farms once staffed by humans to bring produce from the field to stores for purchase were suddenly short-staffed, and the global supply chain was severely impacted. Working with UGA’s Vidalia Onion and Vegetable Research Center and A&M Farms in Lyons, Georgia, a team of researchers led by School of Computing Professor Prashant Doshi is designing collaborative robots to mitigate some of these potential challenges.
2024 honorees are William D. Branch, Georgia Seed Development Professor in Peanut Breeding and Genetics in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, and Elzie Argene Claxton, an agriculture educator and 1980 CAES agricultural education graduate who went on to earn a master’s degree in 1982 and education specialist degree in 1984 from UGA’s College of Education. CAES News
Innovator, educator inducted into the Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame 04/11/24 Maria M. Lameiras
An innovator in peanut breeding whose research revitalized an industry and an ardent champion of agricultural education were inducted into the Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame at the 68th University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Alumni Association Awards in Athens. The 2024 honorees are William D. Branch, Georgia Seed Development Professor in Peanut Breeding and Genetics in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, and Elzie Argene Claxton, an agriculture educator and 1980 CAES agricultural education graduate.
Peach growers are looking forward to a fruitful season as the weather this winter and spring have been near-perfect for the sensitive crop. This year is projected to be a much-needed comeback from the disastrous season they experienced after a late freeze in March 2023 took out more than 90% of the state's crop. (Photo by Dorothy Kozlowski/UGA) CAES News
Growers hopeful 2024 peach season will rebound from disastrous 2023 04/10/24 Emily Cabrera
Last year, the peach industry lost $60 million due to the late freeze that hit much of the Southeast in mid-March 2023, said Jeff Cook, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agent for Peach and Taylor counties. With no freezing temperatures in the forecast and hope for strong pricing during the upcoming season, peach growers are looking forward to a much-needed rebound year.
UGA wheat breeder and geneticist Mohamed Mergoum smells one of several test brews created by Creature Comforts on its annual Get Comfortable collaboration using a variety of wheat Mergoum developed at CAES. CAES News
Creature Comforts partners with UGA wheat breeder to create 2024 Get Comfortable brew 04/09/24 Maria M. Lameiras
Wheat breeders spend years meticulously crossing varieties to coax the best traits out of each species, carefully propagating plant varieties that are healthier, heartier and better suited for the environments where they are grown. Brewmasters are equally painstaking when choosing the components that will give their beers a specific flavor profile. These two exacting professions came together this spring when Athens-based Creature Comforts Brewing Co. reached out to the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences to find a sustainable wheat variety they could use to make a good beer for a great cause.