Health News
by Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom
Food safety advice is everywhere, and we?re always hearing debates about ?use by dates? and ?sell by dates? as well as the ?right? internal temperature for meat consumption. Yes, food-borne illness is a problem, and we?re always looking for ways to minimize this.
One of the most overlooked ways to avoid food borne illness comes in the form of one of the most often-cited ?old wives tale? ? called the ?5-Second Rule.? It goes like this: any food dropped on the floor and picked up within 5 seconds is safe to eat. Sounds crazy, right? But you?d be amazed how many people adhere to this! The rationale that it hasn?t been on the ground long enough to pick up contaminants is simply not true.
Think about where all those shoes and boots have been before reaching your kitchen floor or family room carpeting! When you look at it from that point of view, you?ll throw out anything that falls on the floor. And that?s a health plus!
While it?s hard to avoid all sources of food borne illness, an easy way to minimize the risk is by ignoring such silly advice. Switch that 5-second rule to a No-Second rule!
- Lose Power In A Storm? Keep Your Food Safe
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom Power outages often accompany big storms. While Hurricane Sandy might not knock out your electricity this time, it?s good to know the basics of food safety related to your refrigerator and freezer. If you don?t already have...
- Safe Summer Grilling
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom Just about every food can be grilled outdoors. Whether you have a portable charcoal mini-grill, or a monster-size gas grill, the joys of outdoor cooking are one of the great pleasures of summer. But there are a few basic food...
- Are Raw Food Diets Safe?
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom We like to think of ?raw foods? as the closest to nature ? the most nutrient-dense, and totally healthy. Now, in a perfect world, that would be true. And many raw foods are a great choice ? raw fruits and vegetables are always...
- Are You Hungry?
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom When it comes to weight control, you?d think a question as direct as ?Are you hungry?? would be an easy one to answer. But in the real world, it?s not so easy. One way to start thinking about this complicated question, is to...
- Safe Outdoor Eating
Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom With the start of the holiday weekend, many of us will be firing up the grill. Is there anything better in the summertime than an outdoor cookout with friends and family? While you?re preparing and cooking your favorites, keep in...
Health News
?The 5-Second Rule? and Food Safety
by Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom
Food safety advice is everywhere, and we?re always hearing debates about ?use by dates? and ?sell by dates? as well as the ?right? internal temperature for meat consumption. Yes, food-borne illness is a problem, and we?re always looking for ways to minimize this.
One of the most overlooked ways to avoid food borne illness comes in the form of one of the most often-cited ?old wives tale? ? called the ?5-Second Rule.? It goes like this: any food dropped on the floor and picked up within 5 seconds is safe to eat. Sounds crazy, right? But you?d be amazed how many people adhere to this! The rationale that it hasn?t been on the ground long enough to pick up contaminants is simply not true.
Think about where all those shoes and boots have been before reaching your kitchen floor or family room carpeting! When you look at it from that point of view, you?ll throw out anything that falls on the floor. And that?s a health plus!
While it?s hard to avoid all sources of food borne illness, an easy way to minimize the risk is by ignoring such silly advice. Switch that 5-second rule to a No-Second rule!
- Lose Power In A Storm? Keep Your Food Safe
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom Power outages often accompany big storms. While Hurricane Sandy might not knock out your electricity this time, it?s good to know the basics of food safety related to your refrigerator and freezer. If you don?t already have...
- Safe Summer Grilling
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom Just about every food can be grilled outdoors. Whether you have a portable charcoal mini-grill, or a monster-size gas grill, the joys of outdoor cooking are one of the great pleasures of summer. But there are a few basic food...
- Are Raw Food Diets Safe?
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom We like to think of ?raw foods? as the closest to nature ? the most nutrient-dense, and totally healthy. Now, in a perfect world, that would be true. And many raw foods are a great choice ? raw fruits and vegetables are always...
- Are You Hungry?
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom When it comes to weight control, you?d think a question as direct as ?Are you hungry?? would be an easy one to answer. But in the real world, it?s not so easy. One way to start thinking about this complicated question, is to...
- Safe Outdoor Eating
Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom With the start of the holiday weekend, many of us will be firing up the grill. Is there anything better in the summertime than an outdoor cookout with friends and family? While you?re preparing and cooking your favorites, keep in...