Home > Food & Health > Food > Freezer burn can defeat good intentions (Distributed 05/20/08) If you're one of the many people who is buying and freezing foods in quantity to help combat rising food costs, don't let freezer burn defeat your efforts, advises LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames. LSU AgCenter and Southern U team win award for food safety programs [Image: Loupe award winners] A team comprised of faculty at the LSU AgCenter and the Southern University Ag Center were instrumental in training individuals in the food service and food recovery industry to reduce the spread of foodborne illness. For this effort, they were awarded the 2007 Denver T. and Ferne Loupe Extension Team Award. Louisiana Figs [Image: figs] Varieties, nutritional value, fig facts and simple methods of food preservation so you can enjoy Louisiana figs all year long. (PDF Format Only) Nutritionist Looks At Good And Bad Mold On Food [Image: Cheese Tray] When you see mold on food, is it safe to cut off the moldy part and use the rest? For most foods the answer is no, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  more articles... Make Food Safety Part Of Holiday Meal Planning [Image: Grocery List cartoon] Cooks across Louisiana are now making their grocery lists and checking them twice in preparation for those holiday meals. An LSU AgCenter nutritionist says food safety should be high on the list while those preparations are being made. Prime Time for Sweet Potatoes [Image: harvesting sweet potatoes] The LSU AgCenter leads with the world’s most popular and best-tasting sweet potato, the Beauregard. In fact, if it hadn’t been for the introduction of this variety, way back in 1987, the sweet potato industry probably wouldn’t exist today in the state. In 2006, the most recent figures, the contribution that sweet potatoes made to the Louisiana economy was more than $100 million. Make Sure Eggs Are Cooked In Holiday Recipes The holidays abound with tasty treats such as eggnog, cream pies and other dishes containing eggs. Eating raw or undercooked eggs invites foodborne illness, cautions LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames. Enjoy Safe Holiday Meal [Image: Baked Ham] As American families and friends gather to celebrate Thanksgiving, cooks head to the kitchen to prepare bountiful meals. One item not on the grocery list, but that should be in the kitchen, is food safety, says LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames. Food Terrorism Addressed At New Orleans Meeting (Distributed 11/19/07) Keeping our food supply safe was the main topic for speakers and panelists at a recent national conference in New Orleans. Surviving Thanksgiving: Keep Food Safe, Don’t Overindulge [Image: Thanksgiving dinner] You can fry it or roast it. Just don’t let that turkey or other foods served at the holidays spoil, says LSU AgCenter nutritionist Beth Reames. Learn ways to keep food safe and how to avoid overindulging. Enjoy Pecans Longer With Proper Handling (Distributed 11/13/07) Pecans are nutritious, tasty treats that literally fall from trees. They should be handled properly to ensure that their flavor and quality remain until the next harvest, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. John Pyzner. Fried Turkey Gets Nutrition Nod (Distributed 11/09/07) “It’s not as unhealthy as it sounds,” says LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames about fried turkey, “if you don't eat the skin of the bird.” Certain Pies Dangerous At Room Temperature (Distributed 11/09/07) The holidays are time to enjoy special desserts you may only make once a year. To prevent getting foodborne illness, refrigerate pies containing eggs and milk, such as pumpkin, custard and cream pies, according to LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames. Only 1 Cooking Temperature To Remember (Distributed 11/09/07) If you’ve been confused in the past about the temperature you needed to cook your holiday turkey, you now need to remember only one temperature, 165 degrees. Past food safety guidelines recommended higher temperatures for some poultry products, including 170 degrees for chicken breasts and 180 degrees for whole birds. More...