Low and No Sugar Canning of Fruit

Low and No Sugar Canning of Fruit

As a rule it is recommended not to use artificial sweeteners when preserving fruit as these products can produce a variety of negative effects. Most sugar replacements tend to produce some degree of off-flavor when heated. For home canning, sucralose- Splenda – is known to be the most stable when heated and thus mimics the sweetness of sugar with the least noticeable flavor differences.

When using sucralose, start by substituting it for sugar in extra-light syrup which is typically made with 1 ¼ cups sugar and 5 1/2cups of water. If this syrup is not sweet enough for your taste, increase the sucralose to the level of sugar in the light recipe (2 ¼ cups sugar and 5 ¼ cups water). Then test one or two jars to make sure the flavor suits your preference once the fruit is processed.

It may be preferable to preserve fruit in water or unsweetened fruit juice and add sweetener to take just before serving. While fruit is usually packed in sugar syrup, fruit juices such as unsweetened apple, pineapple or white grape juice or juice from the fruit itself can make good packing liquids. Unsweetened fruit juice provides flavor without additional sugar. Water may be used although it will yield a less flavorful result.

When canned without the addition of sugar, fruit will be less flavorful, have a dull color and won’t hold its shape as well. If using fruit juice or water, use the same amount of juice or water as you would syrup.

Taste the Dairy Difference - Dairy Fun Facts

Taste the Dairy Difference –Dairy Fun Facts

 June is Dairy Month in Wisconsin. Increase your IQ with these fun facts: 

• It takes 12 pounds of milk to make one gallon of ice cream and 10 pounds of milk to make one pound of cheese.

• Wisconsin cheese makers produce more than 2.6 billion pounds of cheese each year. If Wisconsin were a country, it would rank 4th in the world in terms of total cheese production, behind the United States, Germany and France, and just ahead of Italy.

• Wisconsin produces more than 650 different varieties, types and styles of award-winning cheese.

• The average American eats nearly 33 pounds of cheese each year – twice as much as in 1975.

• Average milk production per Wisconsin cow each year is 20,625 pounds (or 2,398 gallons). That’s enough for 38,372 eight ounce glasses of milk from just one cow.

• According to the NPD Group’s National Eating Trends In-Home Database, the top five ice cream flavors are vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, chocolate chip and butter pecan.

• The first ice cream sundae was served in Two Rivers, Wisconsin in 1881. George Hallauer, a customer at Edward C. Berner’s soda fountain in Two Rivers asked Edward to top off his dish of ice cream with the chocolate sauce used for chocolate sodas. The new concoction caught on and was originally offered only on Sundays.

Wash Your Hands...Not Your Poultry

Wash Your Hands …Not Your Poultry

Despite recommendations against the practice, some consumers persist in washing raw poultry before cooking. Historically, we equate washing to cleanliness. We wash clothes, linens, cars, dishes and ourselves. So, some people believe meat and poultry can be made cleaner and safer by washing. Is this true?

We can look to research to answer this question. A study by European researchers found that there is actually a potential increase in the risk of foodborne illness for individuals who wash chicken before eating it. The researchers found the bacteria already present in chicken can travel up to three feet from where the meat is washed, contaminating surfaces across the kitchen. And failure to clean these contaminated areas leads to more cases of foodborne illness.

And while washing may appear to make chicken or turkey look “cleaner,” washing actually fails to dislodge harmful bacteria which may be adhering to the surface of the poultry carcass. Researchers from the University of Georgia found that once bacteria are firmly attached, rinsing will not effectively remove them. Dr. H Lillard found that bacteria could still be recovered from the 40th rinse of a single chicken carcass. The bacteria that are dislodged could be spreading to your hands, the sink, your countertops, and other surfaces, but most would remain and would only be destroyed by cooking to a safe internal temperature.

Follow these steps to keep your family food-safe: 

Clean – Wash hands, utensils, and cutting boards before and after contact with raw meat, poultry, seafood and vegetables and keep raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs apart from foods that won’t be cooked.

Separate – Use different cutting boards for meat, poultry, seafood, and vegetables and keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs apart from foods that won’t be cooked.
Cook – Use a food thermometer – it is difficult to tell if a food item is done by how it looks. Cook all meat to a safe internal temperature.

Source: Barbara Ingham, UW-Extension Food Safety Specialist

European Foodborne Illness Outbreak: What is making people sick?

European Foodborne Illness Outbreak: 

What is making people sick?

In recent days, the media has provided coverage on the European Foodborne illness outbreak.  For more information on this outbreak, click here .  https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B6wJ2HRAs7NGZTQ5MWE3ZTMtODg0NS00NjBhLWE1MTMtMTg1OTI1YzYwMDRh&hl=en_US

Use MyPlate to Evaluate Your Plate

Use MyPlate to Evaluate Your Plate

 USDA’s new approach a big step forward to help consumers plan balanced meals.

-What does a healthy diet look like? That question will be easier to answer with the help of the new MyPlate website and consumer materials unveiled last week by the USDA in Washington, D.C.

The MyPlate website features an easy-to-remember icon—a colorful dinner plate divided into sections for fruits, vegetables, grains and proteins next to a circle representing a cup labeled dairy. The site at http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ also offers tools and resources to help consumers put the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans into action by building healthy eating patterns. MyPlate replaces the former USDA MyPyramid food guide.

The basic messages on healthy eating that are emphasized in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate are:
--Enjoy your food, but eat less.
--Avoid oversized portions.
--Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
--Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.
--Make at least half your grains whole grains.
--Compare sodium (salt) in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals, and choose foods with lower numbers.
--Drink water instead of sugary drinks.
The new MyPlate system gives a quick visual summary of a healthy meal while allowing great flexibility. “Vegetarians, pregnant women, athletes, and school children can all use this new symbol to determine if their personal eating patterns are in line with expert recommendations,” she says.

Source: Susan Nitzke, UW-Extension Nutrition Specialist

*************************************

Note to educators:

The new MyPlate icon and rules for its use can be found at:
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/global_nav/media.html
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/global_nav/media_resources.html
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/MyPlate/MyPlateGraphicsStandards.pdf

Updated Recommendations for Safely Cooking Meat and Poultry

Updated Recommendations for Safely Cooking Meat and Poultry

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it is updating its recommendations for safely cooking pork, beef steaks, roasts, and chops. USDA recommends cooking all whole cuts of meat to 145 degrees F as measured with a food thermometer placed in the thickest part of the meat, then allowing the meat to rest for three minutes before carving or consuming.

The USDA is lowering the recommended safe cooking temperature for whole cuts of pork from 160 degrees F to 145 degrees F and adding a three-minute rest time. The safe temperatures for cuts of beef, veal, and lamb remain unchanged at 145 degrees F but the USDA is adding a three-minute rest time as part of its cooking recommendations. A temperature of 145 degrees F would be termed ‘medium rare.’

This change does not apply to ground meats, including ground beef, veal, lamb, and pork which should be cooked to 160 degrees F and do not require a rest time. The safe cooking temperature for all poultry products, including ground chicken and turkey, remains at 165 degrees F.

This also does not apply to cured pork products such as ham. Fresh or raw ham should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F; pre-cooked ham should be reheated to 140 degrees F.

The new cooking recommendations clarify long-held perceptions about cooking pork. Historically, consumers have viewed the color pink in pork to be a sign of undercooked meat. If raw port is cooked to 145 degrees F and allowed to rest for three minutes, it may still be pink but is safe to eat. The pink color can be due to the cooking method, added ingredients, or other factors. Many cuts of meat, but especially port, have gotten leaner over time. As farmers have raised leaner animals there is less fat in the muscle to baste the meat during cooking and the meat tends to dry out, especially if cooked. Cooking to a lower, but still safe, internal temperature will give consumers a safe, high quality product to enjoy.

Breakfast on the Farm

Breakfast on the Farm

The Brown County Breakfast on the Farm is scheduled for Sunday, June 5, 2011 at Brightside Dairy, 7180 County Road D, Greenleaf Wisconsin. Breakfast will be served from 8:00 a.m. to noon. The menu includes ham & cheese omelets, porkies, cheese, cinnamon rolls, bagels and cream cheese, yogurt and milk. The cost is $6.00 – adults, $4.00 children ages five to ten and children 4 and under are free.

The purpose of this event is to promote the dairy industry and its contributions to our economy, as well as the importance of consuming dairy products. This event is sponsored by the Brown County Dairy Promotion Committee.

http://www.co.brown.wi.us/i/f/uw_extension/2011%20Breakfast%20on%20the%20Farm%20Brochure.pdf

Tips for Stretching Food Dollars

Tips for Stretching Food Dollars

While the economy continues to sputter, gas prices climb and food prices increase, household budgets are getting stretched. Here are some tips for stretching food dollars while eating healthy.

• Be willing to spend a little more time preparing foods. In most cases, the more processed a food is, the more it will cost. For example, a one-pound bag of baby carrots usually costs more than a one-pound bag of standard carrots. Similarly, popcorn that is already popped or in a convenience form usually costs more than popcorn that need to be popped in a kettle or popcorn popper.
• Take advantage of food sales if you have the space to safely store what you won’t use right away.
• Prepare meals and snacks at home and take them with you rather than purchasing meals and snacks at a restaurant or from a vending machine.
• Choose healthy, low-cost foods for snacks. Examples of healthy, inexpensive snacks are graham crackers with a glass of fat-free milk, carrot sticks with a dip, or a homemade trail mix with cereal, raisins and peanuts.
•  Frozen and canned vegetables and fruits may be less expensive than fresh, especially when the fresh varieties are not in season.

Counting Calories

Counting Calories

The International Food Information Council (IFIC) recently conducted a nationally representative on-line survey of 1,000 people and found that most people are not counting calories. Respondents shared a number of reasons why they do not count calories.

Research shows that people who keep track of calories lose twice as much weight as those who don’t. Keeping track is the crux of controlling weight. It is important that people know the amount of calories they should have on a daily basis. Calorie requirements are unique to each person, and how many you need depends on your gender, age, height, and physical activity level.

If your number is 1,800 and you are about to sit down to a hamburger platter that is 1,000 calories, then you are getting close to your limit for the day. Knowing your number gives you perspective.

  

Other findings include:

- When it comes to deciding which foods and beverages to buy, people rank their priorities in this order: taste, price, healthfulness.

- At restaurants, taste and price are the top priority.

Simple Tips for a Tasty Dairy Dish

Simple Tips for a Tasty Dairy Dish

Using real dairy products can make a big difference in even the simplest of dishes. Here are some easy tips to help you taste the dairy difference.
Add a scoop of peanut butter to plain yogurt to create a creamy fruit dip. Serve with sliced apples.

Cookies are more delicious with a scoop of ice cream in the middle. Try a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two chocolate chip cookies or peach ice cream between ginger snaps.

Dress up vegetables and steaks with a flavorful compound butter. Mix herbs and spices, such as fresh rosemary or chipotle seasoning, into softened butter, then top grilled vegetables or meat.

 Create a cool and creamy tzatziki, the Greek cucumber dip, by mixing minced garlic, diced and seeded cucumbers and dill into sour cream. It is a flavorful dip for warm pita bread.

Give frozen fruit a dairy twist. Blend frozen berries into yogurt and orange juice for a fresh smoothie. For even more fun, pour the smoothie mixture into popsicle molds and freeze.

   

Low Cost Healthy Foods

Low Cost Healthy Foods

Food prices are continuing their steady climb, leaving many people wondering how they can afford to maintain a healthy diet.

Individuals and families on a tight budget can still can eat healthy meals and snacks. Begin by purchasing healthy foods which are low in price most of the time. Here are some examples.

Grains – brown rice, oatmeal, whole-grain breads and tortillas, whole-grain pastas, popcorn and unsweetened cereal bought in bulk.

Vegetables – cabbage, carrots, many canned vegetables, frozen vegetables without added sauces, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and tomato sauce.

Fruits – applesauce, bananas, canned fruits packed in juice or light syrup, frozen orange juice concentrate, and raisins. 

  

 Milk – fat-free or low-fat milk and blocks of low-fat cheese (cheddar, Colby, Swiss or mozzarella)

Meat and beans – canned tuna, eggs, dry beans and peas, frozen ground turkey and peanut butter.

Urban Chicken Workshop

Urban Chicken Workshop

As part of our on-going effort to raise healthy food locally, the Urban Chicken Workshop will teach you what needs to be considered when growing chickens in the community in which you live. This workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, June 1, 2011 at the Brown County UW-Extension Office from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The cost is $10.00.        Pre-registration is required.
Click here http://www.co.brown.wi.us/i/f/uw_extension/Ag%20-%20Urban%20Chicken%20Workshop.pdf for more information.

This workshop is sponsored by Buck Creek Chickens, Purely Poultry, Glacierland Resource, Conservation & Development, Inc. and Brown County UW-Extension Office.

Food Recalls and Alerts - New Tool Available

Food Recalls and Alerts – New Tool Available

Does it seem like there a lot of food recalls and alerts these days? A new tool has been created to help consumers find the latest information on food recalls and alerts. This new website can be found at http://www.blogger.com/goog_1643381663

This tool is a partnership of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Center for Disease Control (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institute for Health, and the White House.

Recalls and alerts can be found by topic: 1)food except meat, poultry and egg products, 2) meat, poultry and egg product, 3) pet food, and 4) illness outbreaks.

There are a number of options available for staying connected to food recalls and alerts including email, RSS, Twitter, podcasts and videos.

Beverage Consumption Update

Beverage Consumption Update

 For the past four years, America’s leading beverage companies – the Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo and the Dr Pepper Snapple Group have been quietly but aggressively transforming the beverages available to students in Wisconsin and across America.

Under the industry led-new School Beverage Guidelines, these companies have voluntarily removed full calorie soft drinks from schools, reduced and repackaged portion sizes, and created a range of new low-calorie, nutritious beverages. The results have been staggering – 88 percent fewer beverage calories in schools.

School vending machines now offer a range of low-calorie, nutritious, smaller-portion beverage options, including flavored waters and other no- and low-calorie beverage options.

Beginning this spring the beverage industry, through its “Clear on Calories” initiative, will be adding easy-to-read calorie information on the front of every bottle, pack and can so consumers can choose what is right for them. To find out more about the School Beverage Guidelines and the Clear on Calories labeling initiative, visit http://www.wibeverage.com/

Friendship Bread

Friendship Bread

Friendship Bread has been popular for years. The bread is made with a sourdough starter that is kept for an extended period of time often passing from person to person. Another type of bread that is increasingly popular is an extended-rise no-knead bread.

Recent nationwide food borne illness outbreaks have been linked to traditional bread-making ingredients. It’s time to think safety when preparing or sharing these products.
Click here for more information. 

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0ByxReHb7wpdDMmMxM2UxMjEtM2ZlYS00ODQ3LThmZTItOWYwYjc1MDY5YzNl&hl=en