Food Safety

Police using lie detector in razor food case By KIMBERLY YAKOWSKI / Staff Writer Hagerstown City Police are using a polygraph to test people who had contact with a sandwich that contained pieces of razor blades at a Hagerstown restaurant in September. Lt. Gary Spielman said Tuesday that everyone who had contact with the hamburger is being interviewed and offered the chance to take a polygraph, or lie detector test. One person has taken the test so far, he said.

Grilling, one of the easiest low-fat cooking methods, can be a centerpiece for warm-weather meals. While the art of grilling may come with practice, here are some pointers for a successful experience.Bring out the barbecue. Grills need annual cleaning after winter storage. Scour the grate with a wire brush. Spray the grid with oven cleaner and rinse thoroughly. Before each use, apply nonstick cooking spray to prevent food from sticking to the grill. Stock up on charcoal Quality charcoal briquettes light quickly and have a long burn life.

Eating a variety of foods is recommended for health. But trying to overhaul your own or your family's eating habits can be a challenge. Food likes, dislikes and eating habits might date back to a person's childhood. If daddy didn't like peas, chances are little Seth grew up not liking peas, too. The good news is that it's never too late to start eating a greater variety of foods that contribute to health. You will be most successful if you aim for gradual changes, rather than making an issue of food.

Number 10: Safe food handling practices are the ones most likely to preserve food's top quality. Keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold inhibits growth of the microorganisms that can spoil your food or make you ill. Storage at the proper temperature retains the fresh appearance, pleasant aroma, and agreeable texture that contribute to an enjoyable dining experience. Number nine: Safe food handling lets you obtain the full nutritional benefits from the food you have chosen.

To freeze or not to freeze? The answer to that question could do more than save your food. It could save you money. Whether you are a single person just getting the swing of cooking for yourself, or a family with food by the freezerful, it's never too late, or too soon to go back to freezer basics - giving you the most bang for your buck. "Freezing is like suspending food in time," said Sandy McCurdy, a spokeswoman with the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), a trade group for food scientists.

When children take their lunch to school, make good nutrition a priority and involve them in planning the meal. Their choices will make it less likely foods will be traded, go in the garbage or come home uneaten. As a rule of thumb, make sure lunches include at least three of five food groups recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPyramid program online at www.mypyramid.gov . If packing a lunch, also think about food safety and storage. Is there a refrigerator in which lunch can be stored, or will it be in a classroom or locker?

Special to The Herald-Mail What could be more fun than packing a picnic lunch and heading outdoors to spend a nice summer day with your family and friends? Don't let this fun day wreak havoc on your diet. Follow these tips on how to keep this summer ritual a fun and healthful experience. Traditional picnic foods tend to be high in calories, fat and sodium, but they can also be unhealthy from a food safety aspect as well.   The good news is that you can easily enjoy a healthful picnic, with a little planning and tweaking, without sabotaging your diet or causing unnecessary health risks associated with improper food handling.

Making a couple of extra stops on the way home from the grocery store? Not putting leftovers away until your favorite show is over? All these practices test the limits of how long food can be safely stored. Here are some safe food storage tips from the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition: Don't delay. Refrigerate or freeze perishables right away after picking them up from the grocery store or deli. Keep it cool. Use a refrigerator/freezer thermometer to make sure your refrigerator is between 35 degrees and 40 degrees and your freezer is below zero degrees.

In today's tough economy, packing and taking your lunch with you to work daily can significantly impact your wallet. But did you know it can also impact your health? Lunch should be roughly one-third of your daily nutritional intake each day, so it's important not to skip lunch and to make it a healthful meal. In fact, the right nutrition can give you the energy you need to get through the work day. A combination of proteins and fiber will make you feel fuller longer, which could reduce your overall calorie intake, and will fuel your body with energy.

Shortly after the ink was dry on last week’s column, I picked up my recent copy of Furrow, a magazine published by John Deere Co. The most recent issue is dedicated to food supply and the projection of the world population is expected to double by 2050. Since I would be entering my 90s if I am still here, it would be easy for me to say “who cares?” However, with a cover giving such an ominous warning, “Serving 9,000,000,000; can the world be ready by 2050?