Latest news with #Carothers
USA Today
30-06-2025
- Health
- USA Today
How to safely store boiled eggs in the fridge, according to food safety egg-sperts
Don't go serving egg-spired food this summer. (Sorry.) Egg salad, deviled eggs and hard-boiled eggs are all popular picnic, cookout and potluck dishes. But while egg-based dishes can make a tasty addition to your menu, they can also spell disaster if not refrigerated properly. Foodborne illnesses can spike in the summer months, especially given the higher temperatures and rise in outdoor dining at picnics and cookouts. So experts say this time of year is one that requires consumers to pay extra attention to storing their food. "The warmer weather makes bacteria that cause foodborne illness multiply faster, and if these bacteria have time to multiply, they can reach dangerous levels and produce heat-resistant toxins that then won't be killed by cooking," says Meredith Carothers, MPH, a public affairs specialist on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) food safety education team. "Therefore, it's very important to handle food safely in warmer weather." Here's how to make sure your food remains at safe temperatures, according to food safety egg-sperts. (Sorry again.) Good to know: How to safely freeze milk, according to health experts How long do boiled eggs last in fridge? As a rule of thumb, hard-boiled eggs should be consumed within a week, Carothers says. While uncooked eggs usually last in the fridge for longer, the process of hard-cooking eggs creates a thin layer of water between the cooked egg and the shell, which becomes an inviting environment for bacteria to grow, including the kinds of bacteria that lead an egg to spoil, per the USDA. After initially preparing hard-boiled eggs, they should be put in the refrigerator within two hours; food at room temperature for longer than that runs the risk of growing bacteria that causes foodborne illness. Keeping anything prepped for consumption at a later time should remain safely behind refrigerator doors at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or cooler. How to tell if they've gone bad? There's a reason "rotten egg" is a catch-all description for anything that smells horrible. If an egg has gone bad, you'll likely be able to tell. "Spoiled foods will develop an off odor, flavor or texture due to naturally occurring spoilage bacteria," Carothers says. If that's the case, "it should not be eaten." Can you freeze deli meat? Here's how to safely extend the shelf life of this lunch staple. Do hard-boiled eggs last longer peeled or unpeeled? Hard-boiled eggs can safely be stored in the refrigerator peeled or unpeeled, Carothers says. Either way, they shouldn't be eaten after a week of cooking them to be safe.
USA Today
28-06-2025
- Health
- USA Today
Leftover corn on the cob from your summer cookout? Here's how to freeze it safely.
Prepped too much corn on the cob for your Fourth of July picnic? No fear – your freezer is coming to the rescue. But first, it's important to know how to freeze food properly. Foodborne illnesses can spike in the summer months, especially given the higher temperatures and rise in outdoor dining like picnics and cookouts. So experts say this time of year is one that requires paying extra attention to storing food. "The warmer weather makes bacteria that cause foodborne illness multiply faster, and if these bacteria have time to multiply, they can reach dangerous levels and produce heat-resistant toxins that then won't be killed by cooking," says Meredith Carothers, MPH, a public affairs specialist on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) food safety education team. "Therefore, it's very important to handle food safely in warmer weather." Here's how to make sure you're storing and freezing corn on the cob safely. Aha: How to safely freeze milk, according to health experts How to freeze corn on the cob Safely freezing corn on the cob begins with safely storing it to begin with. In other words, if you're transporting leftover potluck food from one location to another, it's important to keep it at a safe temperature. Keeping food at room or outdoor temperature for two hours is fine (or bring that down to one hour if temperatures are above 90 degrees), Carothers says. But if you want to keep the party going longer, you're going to need to maintain the food temperature: either heated above 140 degrees Fahrenheit in a chafing dish or a preheated grill, or chilled below 40 degrees on a bowl of ice or in a cooler. "The bacteria that can cause foodborne illness grow between 40 (degrees) and 140 (degrees) – also known as the danger zone," Carothers says. When you're bringing the food home, don't forget to "transport perishable foods in a cooler or insulated bag with plenty of cold sources." Corn can either be frozen on or off the cob. Either way, it's important to keep the produce in a "container or wrapping that won't easily let air in" in order to help "maintain quality and prevent freezer burn." (Freezer burn doesn't make food unsafe per se, but it does cause dry spots and should be cut off before consuming, according to the USDA.) And make sure the freezer temperature remains at 0 degrees or lower to "retain vitamin content, color, flavor and texture," Carothers adds. Can you freeze deli meat? Here's how to safely extend the shelf life of this lunch staple. How long does corn last in the freezer? The good news: Eating corn (as well as all other foods) that's been in the freezer technically is safe forever. The bad news: It might not be the best quality if you're trying to reheat a cob from last summer's Fourth of July celebration. "Freezing keeps foods safe indefinitely, because bacteria that cause foodborne illness do not multiply in freezer temperatures," Carothers explains. But after 8 months, the freshness begins to decrease, so anything eaten after that amount of time "just might not be the best quality." The timing of when you freeze produce can have an impact as well. "In general, freshness and quality at the time of freezing affect the condition of frozen foods," Carothers says. "If frozen at peak quality, thawed foods emerge tasting better than foods frozen near the end of their useful life. So freeze items you won't use quickly sooner rather than later."
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
New ‘state-of-the-art' classrooms, playground ready at Franklin School
Teachers at Franklin Elementary School in Yuba City are jazzed about the four new classrooms that are now ready on the school's campus. Two of the new rooms are for kindergarteners, and the other two rooms are for transitional kindergarteners. Superintendent and principal Lisa Shelton said the spaces are very nice, and that Meehleis Modular Buildings Inc. did an amazing job with them. 'They are just state of the art,' Shelton said. The new connected rooms feature noticeably spacious classrooms, a peaked ceiling, red accents, bathrooms, connected workrooms and windows that face a walnut orchard that neighbors the school. Sharon Carothers, a TK teacher at Franklin Elementary School, said the orchard belongs to her family; her cousin inherited it. For Carothers, the school itself is family. 'My mom and dad went to school here,' Carothers said.'I went to school here. My kids went to school here. This is family.' Creating a family-friendly atmosphere, the school had a ribbon-cutting event on Tuesday where folks could check out the new classrooms; the classrooms were completed in May. Students at the school watched as the classrooms came together, and Project Manager Matt Meehleis said that that was the most rewarding part of it all. Beyond the new classrooms, this construction project, which began around August, also involved the addition of a new playground for the youngest students at the school and enhanced parking. The total cost of the project was around five million. For this project, they were able to secure a $4 million grant from the Office of Public School Construction. The Franklin Elementary School District also contributed approximately one million dollars to the project. Shelton spoke on the need for this project. 'We just were short (on) rooms,' Shelton said. 'We're adding another TK classroom and we did not have the available space, and the space we had was not code compliant. So this allowed us to have rooms that are compliant for TK and K.' This project was guided by Title 5 and its requirements. Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations includes provisions that govern the design, construction and functionality of school facilities in California. Because of this project, the school now has more space for TK students to enter the school, as the school went from having one TK classroom to two TK classrooms. Carothers thinks that TK gives the students a good boost for kindergarten. 'My goal isn't to teach them the academics of kindergarten, but to get them to be a student,' Carothers said. She tells the parents that the academics are a bonus. 'So they will learn their sounds and their letters, count to 100, those are all the things that we work on to learn to be a student. So they'll repeat those things in kindergarten, but it just gets them ready, and it's familiar,' Carothers said. 'They're not scared that first day like they are (in) the first day of TK.'
San Francisco Chronicle
26-05-2025
- Health
- San Francisco Chronicle
Food safety mistakes most likely to get you sick this summer — and how to avoid them
Break out your metal spatula: Summer is finally here. It's Memorial Day, the traditional start of grilling season. As you plan your summer cookouts and picnics, food safety experts have a few tips to keep in mind. Tips for grilling Keep it clean. Some people believe heat from the grill burns off germs and residue. Heat does a lot of work, but not all of it, so make sure you clean the grill thoroughly. Wash it with soap and water or grill cleaner and scrub off any residue. Wire grill brushes have gotten a bad rap in recent years for leaving bristles to get picked up by foods, but as long as you inspect the grill carefully after scrubbing, that shouldn't be an issue, said Meredith Carothers, a food safety specialist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. You could give it another wipedown with a wet paper towel to make absolutely sure you've removed any wire pieces. Wash your hands. A critical step any time you're about to handle food: Take 20 seconds to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Health & Wellness California's intensifying disasters leave one group more at risk than any other Bodybuilders love this supplement. Should older adults take it too? Beware cross-contamination with plates and utensils. The plate you used to bring raw hamburgers to the grill should not be the plate the cooked burgers land on. Make sure you've got a separate surface ready. Tongs and spatulas are another vector for cross-contamination. Carothers said she'll use one utensil to place the raw meat and then flip it the first time, then use a second clean utensil to flip it one last time to briefly burn off any remaining bacteria and then transfer it to the new plate. Use a food thermometer. Because grills burn so hot, food might look done before the inside is properly cooked, said Britanny Saunier, the executive director of the Partnership for Food Safety Education. Your safest bet is to use a food thermometer to check the temperature before declaring that perfectly grill-marked ribeye done. Picnics and summer entertaining Clean or cover picnic tables. Something like a wood picnic table is going to be challenging to sanitize, Saunier said. Cleaning and wiping down a public eating area is a good idea, but if you can bring a tablecloth or other barrier to put under your food, that's even better, she said. Don't leave risky food out for hours. If it's under 90 degrees outside, perishable food like hot dogs, soft or pre-sliced cheese and sliced fruit will be safe to eat for about two hours sitting outdoors. If it's hotter than 90 degrees, that's one hour. In either case, food safety experts say putting food in a shady spot is better than in direct sunlight, though it doesn't change the safety timeline. This rule also applies to food that's out inside your home, Carothers said, no matter how chilly your living room gets at night. So if you're putting out a charcuterie board or appetizers indoors, you still need to observe the two-hour rule. Or keep them cool with an ice-chilled serving tray. Certain foods can stay out as long as you can: Chips, crackers, nuts, pretzels, blocks of hard cheese — 'if it's already in a box meant to be on the shelf, it's probably OK,' Saunier said. Pack safe snacks on the go. The food in your backpack or diaper bag is subject to the same two-hour rule. If you're going to be out and about all day, don't bring things like deli meat or cut fruit. Whole fruit like bananas or blueberries, granola bars, rice cakes, trail mix, dried fruit, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and other foods that stay safe at room temperature are a safer alternative. If you want to bring something cold, pack it in a lunchbox or soft-sided cooler with an ice pack. Avoiding foodborne illness Fruits and vegetables can pose a serious risk. Most people associate foodborne illnesses with things like raw or undercooked beef, poultry and seafood. But produce made up just under half of foodborne illnesses in a recent CDC analysis. Best practices include refrigerating produce as soon as you get it home from the grocery store and washing it thoroughly before cutting and eating. You don't need to buy a specific rinse or soap. Rinsing in clean running water and scrubbing the outside of hard fruit and vegetable exteriors before cutting into them is sufficient. Foods to avoid entirely? A recent piece in The Atlantic exhorted readers to avoid pre-cut bagged lettuce. But neither Carothers nor Saunier said there were any specific foods they were avoiding right now. 'We typically don't tell people what they should and should not eat,' Saunier said. But for children under 5 and adults older than 60, she said foodborne illness poses a much more serious risk of hospitalization, so it could make sense to take extra care if you're in those groups, or feeding someone who is. She pointed to raw cookie dough as a particular risk for young children and deli meat as a potential hazard for older adults. In both cases, thorough cooking — baking the cookies or microwaving the deli meat for 30 seconds to one minute — removes the risk.
CBS News
09-04-2025
- General
- CBS News
One Bucco Brick owner offering to buy them from the recycling company and get them back to their owners
The fallout continues over the Bucco Bricks not returning to the sidewalk outside PNC Park. As we first reported, the messages and names will be part of a new display, but the recycling of the bricks still has people upset . One of the brick owners who had a brick outside the park is tossing around the idea of buying the bricks from the recycling company and getting them back to the people who had them outside PNC Park. Brian Carothers had two bricks: one for his dad and one for his grandfather. "Those two guys put in me the love of baseball that I put in my kids, and I did it to honor them," Carothers said. His story is like many people we have spoken to over the past few days. Their legacies etched in the sidewalks, gone. Dan Betten helped in the construction of the park and had a brick right by the home plate entrance. "My brick was positioned right near the Honus Wagner Statue, there, along with all the other people who participated in the construction there. Michelle Shields and her husband got one from a friend as a wedding gift. Her husband always loved and followed the Pirates. "It was the perfect wedding gift, because he was such a big fan," Shields said over Zoom. It became a memorial for their family after his death in recent years. To see the images of the bricks in a pile at a recycling center was heartbreaking. A stone that meant so much was treated like trash. "It just seems like they took away a part of the history of people that helped build it," Betten said. That's why Carothers wants to reconnect the bricks with the people who bought them. He runs the oneBURGH social media page that has more than 440,000 followers, including sponsors who could get the bricks and distribute them. "These are just people who want to get in touch with the memories they have about baseball. The ones who helped them fall in love with baseball, and we can facilitate it," Carothers said. We reached out to where the bricks would be recycled, and the company deferred questions to the Pirates, but is asking people not to show up and try to get their brick. Due to safety issues, people can't walk around the grounds. The Pirates sent this statement on Wednesday on the matter: "Do what you can, I want my brick. We were part of PNC Park," Shields said. Once a new display is planned and unveiled, we will keep you posted.
