Food Safety

The Importance of Using a Food Thermometer

Food thermometers are used to determine the internal temperatures of food items such as eggs, beef, poultry and much more. Anyone who has had food safety training understands that using a thermometer to take the temperature of food is the only way to accurately measure whether or not the product has been thoroughly cooked. Because bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria can live and grow in uncooked food, ensuring that these items have reached their proper cooking temperatures will also guarantee that any lingering bacteria is killed in the process. This means that using a food thermometer can actually.. READ MORE »

Understanding Cleaning Techniques as a Plant Sanitation Worker

Graduates of food safety training programs will often move on to pursue careers in quality assurance, regulatory affairs, or perhaps even plant sanitation. Professionals working in plant sanitation recognize that cleaning and disinfecting are some of the most important activities that can be performed in a food production plant. Many of us have been exposed to the consequences of an unsanitary food plant – whether it was by personally consuming bacteria-ridden food or hearing about someone else’s unfortunate experience. Failure to produce food items in a hygienic environment can result in the spread of food-borne illnesses as well as food.. READ MORE »

Fast-Food Chains Make Changes to Promote Children’s Health

You’ve no doubt seen several fast-food chains offer up more nutritional meal options lately, like McDonald’s and Subway who both have “fresh” or “fit” meal choices on their menus. However, some players in the industry have now introduced an even bolder idea for making their menus healthier, and it might actually make a difference in reducing the high child obesity and diabetes rates that plague North Americans. If you are planning to pursue pharmaceutical training or clinical research training, you’ll want to keep tabs on this trend – and how changes to fast-food menus might even impact the business of.. READ MORE »

Is Organic Food Truly Healthier?

Passing by the produce section of the grocery store, you might switch it up and decide to get the organic Red Delicious apples, which cost twice as much as the non-organic. In the cracker, cereal, bread and yogurt aisles, you’re again given the option of alluring organic brands. Many people spend more on organic because they associate the term with a healthier and more wholesome product – but is this really true? What is “Organic”? Organic products rarely make the claim that they are “healthier” – this is instead a result of effective food marketing. Anyone in food quality training can.. READ MORE »

The Dos and Don’ts of Holiday Food Storage

Holiday entertaining can be stressful because there is so much to think about – how many guests will there be? What should you serve? Does anyone have allergies? But while you’re cooking up a variety of delicious options, a very important detail might slip your mind: do you have enough space in your fridge to store everything? If you haven’t had any food quality training, you might think you can get away with storing food outside, or in a colder area of your house – however if you’re not religiously monitoring the temperature of those items, they could get contaminated!.. READ MORE »

4 Common Myths about Food Safety

It is common for food safety tips to be passed down through generations and word of mouth. However, we know through new scientific discoveries that what was deemed safe in 1920, is not necessarily safe today. While you may have never fallen deathly ill from bad food, there may very well be potential food safety hazards looming in your own kitchen right at this moment. Most of the time food borne illnesses go unreported, and people will ignore the reality that the food they cooked at home made them sick. Truthfully, no amount of pharmaceutical training can substitute for careful.. READ MORE »

Stay Safe From Food Poisoning This Holiday Season

‘Tis the season to be jolly – so why spoil it with a case of food poisoning from the holiday party buffet? This time of year, your schedule will fill up pretty quickly with family gatherings and office parties, and at some point you’ll probably get an invitation to a potluck, for which you’ll be expected to supply a dish. Instead of making one of the many common cooking errors and bringing something that will make everyone sick, why not follow this handy guide – and stay happy and healthy throughout the whole holiday season? Handling the Food Though it.. READ MORE »

Check Out “Bump Mark:” The Expiry Label That Works By Touch

This past September, 22-year-old university student Solveiga Pakštaité won the James Dyson Award for a final class project.  She invented a brand new take on expiry labels that has the potential to change the date system we’ve been using until now. Not only is this product unique because virtually anyone can touch it to find out if their food has expired, but it’s also much more accurate than a traditional printed expiry date. Not convinced? Continue reading to learn all about Bump Mark! A Multilayered Solution If you are currently enrolled in a food quality training program, you will definitely.. READ MORE »

Calorie Counts Coming Soon to Menus and Vending Machines

Following somewhat shocking research that revealed Americans eat and drink one third of their calories away from home, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has put immense effort into passing a law that will require major restaurants to display calorie counts clearly on their menus. Vending machines, long-time providers of unhealthy snacks and beverages, will also be required to display calorie counts under the new law. The FDA hopes that as a result of the law, Americans will make healthier eating choices and restaurants will feel pressure to offer healthier meal options. The Road to Calorie Counts Today, two out.. READ MORE »

How to Avoid the Flu During Holiday Travelling

Taking a plane to visit grandparents in Florida, or a sibling living overseas can be a fun way to spend your holidays. However, be aware that travelling during the winter makes us particularly vulnerable to the flu. With so many people sick during the winter season, germs can collect quickly in enclosed areas like trains, buses or planes. So what’s your everyday traveller supposed to do to keep their immune system on lock-down while travelling, and avoid arriving sick at their destination? We’ve got everything you need to know about staying healthy while on the go. Bring Hand Sanitizer Even.. READ MORE »

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