Food Safety in a Minute - WSU Extension

Food Safety in a Minute
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Food Safety in a Minute - WSU Extension

Need answers to your food safety questions? Food Safety in a Minute from Washington State University answers the most commonly asked questions from consumers. Listening is a quick and easy way to learn more about food safety. Subscribe to our weekly podcast and explore online episodes.

  1. 5 HR. AGO

    FSM 327: Ultra-processed Foods: Demographics and Our Choices

    Episode transcript [Music] This is Food Safety in a Minute, I’m Susie Craig. A recently published article from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found ultra-processed foods account for more than half the calories consumed at home. Researchers found few differences by age, sex, race/ethnicity, income, or education. Americans consume about a third of food away from home. In 2018, 67% of food eaten away from the home was ultra-processed. Is ultra-processed food, junk food? The answer is, often, but not always. While many are highly caloric, there are healthy choices as well. Fortified plant-based milks, Greek yogurt with live probiotics, whole wheat pasta, canned fish, nut butters, dark chocolate, ready to drink smoothies, fortified cottage cheese. Lots of safe, healthy choices. From Washington State University Extension, thanks for listening. [Music] Resources: Ducharme, Jamie. Time Magazine (8/28/24). Why One Dietitian is Speaking Up for ‘Ultra-Processed Foods. Accessed online 2/12/25. https://time.com/7007857/ultra-processed-foods-advocate/. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ultra processed Foods Account for More than Half of Calories Consumed at Home (12/10/24). Accessed online 2/12/25. https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2024/ultraprocessed-foods-account-for-more-than-half-of-calories-consumed-at-home.

    1 min

  2. FEB 26

    FSM 326: Ultra-processed Foods: Friend or Foe?

    Episode transcript [Music] This is Food Safety in a Minute from Washington State University Extension. From television to TikTok, ultra-processed food is a hot topic. Are ultra-processed foods safe or unsafe to eat? Let’s tackle the definition first. There’s no legal definition of “ultra-processed food”. Food processors use the NOVA classification system developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. This system has four groups. Group 1 is unprocessed, minimally processed food including fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh meat, nuts, plain yogurt, and some spices. Group 4, ultra-processed food includes ice cream, sugary drinks, instant noodles, hot dogs, potato chips, energy bars, baby formula, and much more. Public health officials and the media often equate ultra-processed food to “junk food”. That’s not always the case. Listen next week to learn more. Thanks for listening, I’m Susie Craig. [Music] Resources: Monteiro, Carlos Augusto. G. Cannon, M. Lawrence, C., M.L. Costa Louzada, and P. Machado. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Ultra-processed foods, diet quality, and health using the NOVA classification system. Rome, 2019. Accessed online 1/15/25. https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/5277b379-0acb-4d97-a6a3-602774104629/content.

    1 min

  3. FEB 19

    FSM 325: Food and Beverage Trends for 2025

    Episode transcript [Music] This is Food Safety in a Minute. I’m Susie Craig. Annually, the Institute of Food Technologists Science and Policy experts name food and beverage trends. Here are three trends which will enhance and improve food safety and nutrition in 2025: • More artificial intelligence will be used in food labs, in restaurants, and by consumers for quality control, in cooking techniques, and for ingredient substitutions. • Tech-enabled food traceability alongside deadlines and implementation of the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act will increase investment in food safety by food producers. • Increased use of weight loss medications such as GLP-1 medications will drive food product development, with producers creating food products focused on protein, gut health, and nutrient needs for consumers taking these medications. I’m Susie Craig from Washington State University Extension. [Music] Resources Institute of Food Technologists: Brain Food, Official IFT Blog. IFT’s Top Ten Food Trends for 2025. Accessed online 1/20/25. https://www.ift.org/news-and-publications/blog/2024/ifts-top-ten-food-trends-for-2025.

    1 min

  4. FEB 12

    FSM 324: Black History Month: Foot Print Farms – Dr. Cindy Ayers-Elliott

    Episode transcript [Music] From Washington State University Extension, this is Food Safety in a Minute. As part of National Black History Month, our podcast highlights Foot Print Farms in Jackson, Mississippi. Dr. Cindy Ayers-Elliott, a former investment banker, is owner and operator of the largest urban farm in the state. In 2023, she was USA Today’s Women of the Year honoree for Mississippi. Her mission: “To provide the community access to healthy food choices, introduce youth to agriculture and provide training and technical assistance to small farmers and ranchers.” On sixty-eight acres, she grows specialty produce available at the local farmers market or by subscription through Community Supported Agriculture. She practices on-farm food safety sharing information about produce safety with consumers in-person and through her farm website. Visit Foot Print Farms online. Thanks for listening. I’m Susie Craig. [Music] Resources Food Print Farms: Where a Garden, a Community, and a Way of Life Grows in the Fertile Soil. Farm Fresh. City Sweet. Accessed online 1/13/25 https://footprintfarmsms.com Mississippi Clarion Ledger. A Farmer and a Superhero: Meet the Mississippi Honoree for USDA Today’s Women of the Year (3/19/23). Accessed online 1/12/25. https://www.clarionledger.com/in-depth/news/2023/03/19/cindy-ayers-elliot-mississippi-usa-today-women-year/69899414007/

    1 min

  5. FEB 5

    FSM 323: Black History Month: National Black Farmers Association

    Episode transcript [Music] Welcome to Food Safety in a Minute. I’m Susie Craig. This is National Black History Month. According to the USDA’s 2022 Census of Agriculture, there are 42,000 farmers in the United States who identify as Black, either alone or in combination with another race. They represent 1.2 per cent of our country’s producers. This week, our podcast recognizes John W. Boyd, Jr. John is a fourth-generation farmer in Baskerville, Virginia. He is the founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association, a non-profit organization representing African American farmers and their families. The Association provides advocacy and education including agricultural training and technical help for Black and other small farmers. Learn more by visiting the National Black Farmers Association. This is Susie Craig from Washington State University Extension. [Music] Resources International Dairy Foods Association. Black Farmers Today: Where We Are Not? USDA Census of Agriculture Breaks it Down. Accessed online 1/8/25. https://www.idfa.org/news/this-black-history-month-idfa-celebrates-the-black-americans-who-advanced-the-food-system-and-u-s-dairy. National Black Farmers Association. Accessed online 1/7/25. https://www.blackfarmers.org.

    1 min

  6. JAN 29

    FSM 322: Food Processors Have a Role in Reducing Heavy Metals in Food

    Episode transcript [Music] From Washington State University Extension, this is Food Safety in a Minute. Did you know food processing practices may eventually reduce the heavy metal concentrations in food products? For example, rice may contain cadmium, a heavy metal entering the plant during growth and cultivation. Cadmium may come from natural geologic sources, fertilizers, or industrial contamination of air and irrigation water. A process called “washing” reduces cadmium. Using an alkaline solution, 95% of the cadmium is removed with “washing”. Sorting technologies may help. This includes pre-testing food and ingredients for heavy metals and using electromagnetic radiation tools to identify and sort food ingredients. A process called adsorption may be used in the future to filter heavy metals from liquids found in food processing which could improve food safety while reducing food waste. Thanks for listening, I’m Susie Craig. [Music] Resources Institution of Food Technologists (10/24). Challenges, Risks, and Potential Solutions to Mitigate Heavy Metal Exposure: A Roundtable Discussion. https://164454.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/164454/Challenges%2c%20Risks%20and%20Potential%20Solutions%20to%20Mitigate%20Heavy%20Metal%20Exposure-1.pdf. Accessed online 12/8/24.

    1 min

  7. JAN 22

    FSM 321: Agriculture Technologies to Reduce Heavy Metals in Food

    Episode transcript [Music] I’m Susie Craig from Washington State University Extension No matter the source of heavy metals in our food system, agricultural technologies may minimize them in soil and limit the uptake of heavy metals by plants. The technologies used by farmers to lessen or alleviate heavy metals range from direct interventions with soil to more complex solutions. These include: • Growing crops in areas with lower levels of heavy metals, • Soil washing or soil excavation, • Reducing heavy metals in fertilizers, • Using soil amendments such as lime, altering the pH of soil and reducing heavy metal uptake by plants, and • Crop genetics developing plants that minimize uptake during growth. Learn more from the Institute of Food Technologists. Look online for Challenges, Risks, and Potential Solutions to Mitigate Heavy Metal Exposure: A Roundtable Discussion. This is Food Safety in a Minute. [Music] Resources Institution of Food Technologists (10/24). Challenges, Risks, and Potential Solutions to Mitigate Heavy Metal Exposure: A Roundtable Discussion. https://164454.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/164454/Challenges%2c%20Risks%20and%20Potential%20Solutions%20to%20Mitigate%20Heavy%20Metal%20Exposure-1.pdf. Accessed online 12/8/24.

    1 min

  8. JAN 15

    FSM 320: Heavy Metal Exposure from Our Food Supply

    Episode transcript [Music] For Food Safety in a Minute, this is Susie Craig. For sixty years, the Food and Drug Administration has tracked heavy metals in our food supply. Even trace amounts of arsenic, cadmium, mercury and lead in food, water, and air once ingested stay in our bodies. Heavy metals in food come from naturally occurring and environmental sources. Food may be grown in soil or irrigated with water containing higher levels of heavy metals. Food processing and handling food may increase or decrease levels. Whether naturally occurring or environmental, experts from academia, government, and industry continue to monitor and study their effects on our health. Read a free research-based report from the Institute of Food Technologists. Look online for Challenges, Risks, and Potential Solutions to Mitigate Heavy Metal Exposure: A Roundtable Discussion. This is Susie Craig from Washington State University Extension. [Music] Resources Institution of Food Technologists (10/24). Challenges, Risks, and Potential Solutions to Mitigate Heavy Metal Exposure: A Roundtable Discussion. https://164454.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/164454/Challenges%2c%20Risks%20and%20Potential%20Solutions%20to%20Mitigate%20Heavy%20Metal%20Exposure-1.pdf. Accessed online 12/8/24. United States Department of Agriculture – Agriculture Research Service. Food Surveys Research Group: Beltsville, Maryland, What We Eat in America. https://www.ars.usda.gov/northeast-area/beltsville-md-bhnrc/beltsville-human-nutrition-research-center/food-surveys-research-group/docs/wweianhanes-overview/. Accessed online 12/8/24.

    1 min
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Need answers to your food safety questions? Food Safety in a Minute from Washington State University answers the most commonly asked questions from consumers. Listening is a quick and easy way to learn more about food safety. Subscribe to our weekly podcast and explore online episodes.

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