The holiday season will be here before we know it, which means preparing for yummy feasting, the gathering of friends and family and shopping for all the food. Turkeys, hams, homemade salads and fruity desserts are all waiting to be whipped up and consumed.
But along with popularity of preparing holiday food at home comes the threat of food illnesses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 200 known diseases are transmitted through food, and foodborne diseases are estimated to cause up to 9,000 deaths each year in the United States.
"Food safety is everyone's responsibility, particularly when preparing and serving holiday delectables," says Dr. Roger Clemens, a spokesman for the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), a nonprofit scientific society comprised of food scientists. "Practicing safe food-handling habits during the holidays and everyday ensures a healthier celebration."
To prevent foodborne diseases from ruining your Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays, keep in mind the following tips from the IFT:
"These simple food safety steps, clean-separate-cook-chill, will assure that you and your guests have an enjoyable and memorable holiday," Clemens says.
The microbiome is the genetic material of all our microbes—bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses - that live on and inside the human body. Microbes outnumber our human cells ten to one.
Have you been looking for a way to up your dinner party game? IFT Food Facts compiled results from some recent peer-reviewed studies to help you do just that – by incorporating science into your meal.
The new Nutrition Facts Label is based on updated food consumption data, nutrient recommendations, the 2015 - 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and consumer behavior trends. These updates are reflected in the changes required in the label design, nutrient list, and serving size.
Research has examined several health markers for edible insects, including gut microbiota and antioxidant activity.
Leading food science researchers discuss advances in lactic acid bacteria, probiotics, fermentation, and CRISPR genome editing that have transformed the fermented foods industry.
Food and beverage companies are expanding their plant-based product portfolios as more and more consumers eliminate or reduce consumption of animal-based fare.
Research indicates that smoking marijuana may increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. A recent study has determined that a compound in soybeans may mitigate that risk.
The ketogenic diet, a high-fat, low-carbohydrate, and protein-restricted diet, has been recognized as an effective treatment for intractable epilepsy.
In the most comprehensive observational study of its kind to date, researchers at Lund University in Sweden have confirmed that the risk of developing celiac disease is connected to the amount of gluten children consume.