Questions on handling, preparing, and storing food in ways that prevent foodborne illness.
4
votes
3answers
3k views
Reheating Spinach
I have heard that one shouldn't reheat a meal with spinach in it. Is there any truth in this and what is the reason?
6
votes
2answers
5k views
Can mushrooms be re-heated safely?
What happens inside mushrooms when you reheat them?
Is it always unsafe to reheat them or is there something you can do to safely reheat them?
1
vote
3answers
3k views
Does chili paste require refrigeration?
A recipe I am planning to make calls for chili paste, which I have never used before. I found some in the grocery store (it is Sambal Oelek ground fresh chili paste), which seems to be more liquidy ...
4
votes
1answer
3k views
Can most sour fruits be jelled by cooking with sugar?
I make jam all the time, using pectin. But the recipes only list a few dozen common fruits.
Recently, I wanted to make crabapple jam or jelly, and I found a recipe that essentially had me cook the ...
7
votes
1answer
3k views
Are nectarine seeds edible?
Eating a nectarine this afternoon, I found the pit was cracked open. Curious, I broke it apart and found an almond-like seed (or nut?) inside.
I remember hearing that some almonds, or perhaps their ...
3
votes
2answers
898 views
Can salmonella show up in a raw-egg product once it has already been made?
I know raw eggs should be avoided, especially by sensitive people (children, pregnant women), as they may contain salmonella. Let's say I make a big tub of ice cream, with raw eggs, and several people ...
23
votes
7answers
30k views
Is it safe to eat smoked bacon without grilling?
The reason I ask this is due to the fact nothing on the bacon packaging indicates it can or cannot be eaten 'raw' and in general eating raw meat is a bad idea.
9
votes
2answers
384 views
How do you wash fruit and veggies effectively?
When eating or preparing fruit and vegetables, you should wash them beforehand to get rid of pesticides, bacterias, fertilizers, etc. However, I notice that I (and others I know), just put the thing ...
3
votes
1answer
1k views
Can I leave a cake / cupcakes frosted with cream cheese frosting out on the counter?
I need to frost a cake and cupcakes with a cream cheese frosting for a late morning party tomorrow. I do not do a lot of baking so I'm concerned about when I should frost the cakes. For the sake of ...
17
votes
5answers
9k views
How safe is steak tartare?
How safe is steak tartare?
What can I do when preparing it make sure it is safe to eat?
5
votes
1answer
412 views
Is extremely young meat indigestible?
Extensive rewrite:
Young meat is considered unfit for human consumption by the European Union:
"derives from animals which are dead before slaughter, stillborn, unborn or slaughtered under the age ...
19
votes
5answers
5k views
Cure for burns from hot peppers / capsicum oil?
So, I foolishly ignored advice about wearing gloves while handling hot peppers. I thought since they were "just" anaheim peppers I'd be fine... I was wrong, and I repent.
Does anyone know of a way ...
5
votes
1answer
627 views
I left stock out to cool overnight. Is it safe to use?
I made a Peking duck stock, strained it while hot, then left it to cool overnight. My apartment is 24 degrees C. In the morning, I divided it into smaller portions and refrigerated it.
I'd never made ...
2
votes
1answer
99 views
How long is sugar (mixed with minor ingredients) good for?
Over a year ago I made flavored sugars and have recently remembered them. They are basically a sealed container (canning jar) with a cinnamon stick, lemon/orange zest, vanilla bean/pod, or a ...
18
votes
2answers
4k views
Food safety of meat vs. veggies and fruit with mold on them
Obviously, it's bad to eat moldy food, so I don't do so. However, the other day I was presented with both an old pot roast and asparagus in the fridge, both of which had grown mold. Of course, I ...
4
votes
2answers
10k views
Eating food from a slightly rusting cast iron dutch oven…is it safe?
I have a cast iron dutch oven. It has a self-basting lid, basically it has a grid of little cone shapes on the underside of the lid. The idea is that liquid condenses on underside of the lid and these ...
0
votes
2answers
238 views
Safety of old, unopened bottles of ketchup
I just found two bottles of unopened ketchup dating back several years. One says "Best used by September 19, 2008," and the other says "Best used by May 10, 2010." I think I should throw them both ...
3
votes
1answer
5k views
Eucalyptus tea: is it safe to drink?
I have a big Eucalyptus Gunnii (If I am not mistaken) tree just out my door. It smells splendid and I have always wanted to know if I could make tea out of its leaves. However, something stops me: I ...
17
votes
4answers
832 views
How to wash vegetables without running water?
I live in a subtropical climate where most people cook vegetables, rather than eat them raw, so when making green salads, I must be careful to ensure that everything is clean. I have seen ...
1
vote
2answers
9k views
How long will previously-frozen vacuum-packed chicken last in the fridge?
A similar question about fish was all I found, but fish is not chicken and they have different considerations.
I buy chicken from Whole Foods that comes already sealed, and is labeled as "Air ...
3
votes
2answers
281 views
Can meat and cheese be stored together?
My husband is constantly storing opened blocks of cheese in the same container as his summer sausage, also opened. He insists that they don't need to be separated and that I am being paranoid. I say ...
2
votes
1answer
181 views
How to quickly prepare snails?
How to quickly prepare fresh snails?
I've heard snails must be soaked in salted water for a few hours in order to remove the mucus but a friend of mine suggested that the ones in shells can be simply ...
7
votes
4answers
13k views
How long will food last in a refrigerator that is turned off?
We will be having a power outage in our building soon and our fridges are pretty full. The power will be off for about 10 hours. Will our food last safely during this time?
8
votes
4answers
10k views
Is it safe to use plastic wrap in boiling water?
While I've come across one or two recipes that call for using plastic wrap in pots of boiling water (for example, to cook eggs), I've always been a bit wary of putting the wrap in boiling water. Can ...
0
votes
2answers
672 views
Can string cheese be frozen?
Is it okay to freeze individually packaged string cheese?
I'm less concerned about what it does to the taste of the cheese, and more concerned about the safety of freezing the cheese with the ...
3
votes
1answer
3k views
Does chocolate syrup need to be refrigerated?
Hershey's chocolate syrup recommends that you "refrigerate after opening", but unlike many other sauces with this recommendation (e.g. ketchup, mayonnaise, BBQ sauce etc.) chocolate syrup bottles are ...
2
votes
7answers
4k views
Sous vide without plastic bags?
I really like the idea of cooking steak using sous vide. However, I am very wary of heating food up together with plastic, and then eating the food, as I believe that at high temperatures, chemicals ...
1
vote
1answer
2k views
What happens to an acorn squash when its skin turns orange?
I purchased an acorn squash at the farmer's market quite a while ago and its skin was initially dark green with a small patch of orange. I have been keeping it in my pantry. Over time the skin has ...
10
votes
2answers
856 views
Is it safe to overcook beef or other meat?
When making hamburgers, I prefer to grill the beef until it is very dark and the outside is entirely black. I know that it is dangerous to eat beef that not cooked enough, but is there any hazard in ...
0
votes
1answer
95 views
What is the shelf life of Ultra Clear rice protein powder?
I have some Ultra Clear rice protein powder that is a few years old that has never been opened and has been constantly refrigerated. Is it still safe to use? I am nervous about using it, but the ...
3
votes
1answer
363 views
Reheating boiled eggs for scotch eggs
I recently boiled a duck egg for 7 mins and then immediately placed into iced water, where I let it sit for 10 mins.
I then proceeded to place the cold egg into a water bath set at a temperature of ...
2
votes
4answers
601 views
Storing Green Onions?
What is the proper method to store green onions? Additionally, how long can it be stored in the chill chest?
3
votes
1answer
169 views
Is the root/rhizomes of ground elder edible?
Ground elder is a terrible weed with delicious leaves. But is the root edible too?
Wikipedia:
Aegopodium podagraria, commonly called ground elder, herb gerard, bishop's weed, goutweed, and ...
-2
votes
1answer
4k views
Refrigerate Cod After Cooking [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Resources for reheatable meals, specifically fish?
How long can I store a food in the pantry, refrigerator, or freezer?
Is it okay to refrigerate Cod (and other kinds ...
3
votes
2answers
5k views
Can cashews go bad? If so, how do you tell?
We have a tub of cashews that seems "off:" they smell a little different and taste a little different than we're used to.
They don't smell or taste rancid (to us, I don't think I've ever tried ...
7
votes
2answers
430 views
Is it safe to store hot tea in PET bottles?
Every morning I bring with me a small PETE (from some searches it seems to be the same as PET plastic) bottle (an ex coke bottle) containing hot tea.
Is it safe to store hot liquids, especially, tea ...
5
votes
2answers
1k views
What is the danger of salmonella in 'home laid eggs' and how should I clean them?
I have a question additional to this question How does salmonella get into eggs. This tells me that salmonella is mostly found on the shell of an egg. However, eggs are treated (typically washed) such ...
1
vote
2answers
211 views
My soup tastes tart… Is it safe to eat?
My soup tastes almost like someone poured some lemon juice into it. It smells fine, and other than being a little lemony, tastes OK. When I put it in the fridge a week ago, it didn't have that tart ...
2
votes
4answers
443 views
Does a lid on a pot safely “seal” soup?
My in-laws have a practice in which they make soup with the lid on the pot, turn off the heat, and leave the pot on the stove without lifting the lid until the next day when they eat it.
Their claim ...
3
votes
1answer
2k views
Can I safely clean/eat harvested foods that have aphids on them?
So a friend of mine went to harvest some spinach and lettuce she planted, only to find lots of aphids. Assuming she can clear off the aphids is there anything preventing her from eating the produce? ...
4
votes
2answers
4k views
How to preserve home-made salad dressing, without using bad preservatives? [closed]
I want to start making my own salad dressing because I don't like all of the stuff they put in processed food. However, I still would like my dressings to last more than just a few days in the fridge. ...
3
votes
1answer
423 views
leaving oil on a frying pan for use later
I live alone, so I cook for myself. And often times I cook steaks/burgers on a pan, and later in the same day would return to use the same pan/oil without washing/using new oil.
Is this safe, or ...
4
votes
2answers
33k views
How long can cooked food be safely stored at room/warm temperature?
If I leave fully-cooked food (particularly meat) out at warm temperature - say on the counter or in a crock pot that's been turned off - how long will it stay safe to eat?
Does it make any ...
3
votes
3answers
4k views
Does microwaving eggs kill salmonella?
If eggs are thoroughly washed and of course beaten before microwaving, and after the process I can find no liquid, is there a possibility that salmonella is still there, or does it die from high ...
2
votes
2answers
1k views
Is it safe to store batter/dough that contains eggs?
I sometimes like to make a large batch of pancake butter or cornbread dough, and fry/bake it whenever I want some freshly made pancakes or cornbread. Both these liquids contain eggs. Is is safe to ...
10
votes
3answers
4k views
Is it safe to reheat old water in an electric kettle?
I usually throw away the remaining water in the electric kettle before refilling it if the water is more than about a day old. In theory wouldn't boiling kill any impurities the old water might have? ...
18
votes
10answers
5k views
Can I boil eggs in the same pot I'm boling something else?
I know cooking the eggs kills the salmonella and that the risk is small even for raw eggs. However, I stopped boiling the eggs in the same pot I'm boiling something else, like potatoes, when I learnt ...
3
votes
2answers
4k views
Does grenadine need to be refrigerated?
I've been looking for a bottle of Rose's Grenadine for quite a while without luck, so when I saw a big ol' liter of Llord's at the liquor store, I grabbed it. I'm not sure I want to allocate that much ...
1
vote
2answers
248 views
Safety of coffee in thermal flask, long periods of time
How long is it safe to hold coffee in a thermal flask? Is coffee (prepared in a cezve, Turkish method, no sugar) carried in a thermal flask for 24 or 48 hours still safe?
I'm asking because black ...
2
votes
1answer
3k views
How long does it take botulism spores to germinate in the fridge?
Based on this question, I started wondering how long I could keep an anerobic food in the fridge before I have to worry about botulism colonization. 1 day? 3 days? 2 months? Clearly it's not a ...
