Food Safety in a Minute

This minute-long podcast from WSU Extension offers handy, easy-to-apply tips to avoid food-borne illness. This series delves into issues ranging from holiday food safety to packing school lunches, how to store canned food, and more.

FSM 398: Cyclospora Outbreak Not Finished – Traceback Difficulties

Transcript [Music] Welcome to Food Safety in a Minute from Washington State University Extension.Identifying the source of a Cyclospora outbreak is difficult. Symptoms begin a week after exposure and may take up to two weeks, so patients must remember specific foods eaten days earlier. Fresh produce is mixed, shredded, repackaged, and distributed widely making traceback […]

FSM 397: Cyclospora Cases Rise Nationwide; Washington State Not Linked to Outbreak

Transcript [Music] From Washington State University Extension, this is Food Safety in a Minute.Since May 1st, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed thousands of domestic cases of Cyclosporiasis most likely linked with iceberg lettuce grown in Mexico. Caused by the parasite Cyclospora, most illnesses have been reported in Michigan, New York, North […]

FSM 396: The Multistate Cyclospora Outbreak is Solved

Transcript [Music] From Washington State University Extension, this is Food Safety in a Minute. There’s a multi-state outbreak of an illness caused by the microscopic parasite cyclospora. People become infected by consuming contaminated food or water. Symptoms typically develop about a week later. Symptoms include diarrhea, loss of appetite, stomach cramps, bloating, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, […]

FSM 395: Cottage Food Law: Selling Jams and Jellies from Home

Transcript [Music] Welcome to Food Safety in a Minute, I’m Susie Craig. Did you know Washington State Cottage Food Law allows approved individuals to prepare and sell certain low-risk foods, including jams and jellies, from their home kitchens directly to consumers. To operate legally, obtain a cottage food permit from the state. Follow specific food […]

FSM 394: From Kitchen to Fair: How Home Preserved Foods are Judged

Transcript [Music] I’m Susie Craig, this is Food Safety in a Minute. Every time you preserve food at home, shop at a farmers’ market or farm stand, or enter a county fair or festival, you are judging or being judged. The National Center for Home Food Preservation offers a 110-page guide titled Judging Home Preserved […]

FSM 393: Blue-Ribboned Jellies Start with Food Safety

Transcript [Music] From Washington State University Extension, this is Food Safety in a Minute. County fair season offers the perfect opportunity to showcase homemade jellies, but food safety remains a top priority. The National Center for Home Food Preservation recommends using tested recipes, proper processing methods, and clean jars to produce safe, high-quality jellies. Judges […]

FSM 392: Peach Season in the Northwest – Preserve the Harvest

Transcript [Music] I’m Susie Craig for Food Safety in a Minute from Washington State University Extension. It’s peach season in the Northwest. There are many ways to preserve peaches: Canning, freezing, spreads and condiments including salsa and pickled peaches. There’s something for everyone! Find research-based, tested, food safe recipes and directions by visiting the National […]

FSM 391: Dry Canning Vegetables: An Unsafe Home Canning Practice

Transcript [Music] Welcome to Food Safety in a Minute from Washington State University Extension. Did you know some home canners are experimenting with “dry canning” vegetables? This involves putting raw vegetables in canning jars with no added liquid followed by pressure canning. Some consumers are even adding butter or ghee. This practice is unsafe. Safe […]

FSM 390: Using Splenda® Safely in Home Food Preservation

Transcript [Music] This is Food Safety in a Minute, I’m Susie Craig. Can Splenda® be used in home food preservation? The answer depends on the product being preserved. Splenda® can be used to sweeten liquids for canned fruits, but unlike sugar, it does not provide preservative benefits or help maintain color and texture. In traditional […]

FSM 389: Attend an Online Lunch and Learn Series: Preserve the Harvest

Transcript [Music] This is Food Safety in a Minute. I’m Susie Craig. From Washington State University’s online Lunch and Learn Series, discover how to preserve food safely in a four-part series beginning June 8th. Sixty-minute classes are taught via Zoom and recorded for later viewing, making them ideal for busy schedules. Led by WSU Food […]