Food Safety in a Minute - WSU Extension

Food Safety in a Minute
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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.

  1. 6d ago

    After a Wildfire: Handling Undamaged Canned Foods

    Transcript [Music] From Washington State University Extension, thanks for listening to a series of podcasts called Wildfire Food Safety. After wildfires, some food products may be safe to keep. Specifically, commercially canned food when completely sealed and undamaged. Metal used in commercially processed cans is generally considered safe when completely sealed and hasn’t been exposed to high heat which could damage seals or seams. Discard bulging, leaking, deeply dented or rusted cans. For undamaged cans: • Wash the exterior with hot water and detergent, then rinse. • Sanitize with a solution of 1 Tablespoon of unscented liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of cool water, soak for 15 minutes. • Rinse, dry, and re-label. “When in doubt, throw it out.” According to the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service, the cost of replacing food is far less than potential negative consequences. Thanks for listening, I’m Susie Craig. [Music] Resources U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service. (2025). Extinguishing the risk of foodborne illness during wildfires. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/news-press-releases/extinguishing-risk-foodborne-illness-during-wildfires. Accessed online 8/9/26.

  2. 6d ago

    Can Wildfire Smoke Contaminate Food?

    Transcript [Music] I’m Susie Craig and this is a special series of podcasts focused on Wildfires and Food Safety. Wildfire smoke and heat can contaminate food even when packaging looks undamaged. USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service advises discarding food directly exposed to smoke or fumes because contaminants can penetrate cardboard, plastic wrap, and other permeable materials. Refrigerator and freezer seals are not always airtight, meaning food stored inside a smoke-damaged building may be affected and require disposal. The primary concern is contamination of food, packaging, and food-contact surfaces. After smoke damage, some commercially canned food can be saved. Learn about the cleaning process by listening to After a Wildfire: Handling Undamaged Commercially Canned Foods in this series of podcasts. Or, visit the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service for additional guidance. From Washington State University Extension, listen to this series and Food Safety in a Minute. [Music] References U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service. (n.d.). Keep your food safe during emergencies: Power outages, floods & fires. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/emergencies/keep-your-food-safe-during-emergencies, Accessed online 8/7/26.

  3. 6d ago

    Protect Yourself when Harvesting Your Garden after Wildfire Smoke/Ash

    Transcript [Music] From Washington State University Extension, you are listening to a special series of podcasts titled Wildfire Food Safety. You’ve decided it’s safe to harvest your garden. Oregon State University Extension recommends steps to protect you and your produce after wildfire smoke or ash exposure. Avoid harvesting when air quality is unhealthy; wait for conditions to improve. Don’t use leaf blowers that can send settled ash back into the air. Wear a mask, preferably an N95. Remove shoes outdoors, change clothes, and launder promptly. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and running water, then dry with a paper towel. After harvest, plan for next year. OSU Extension horticulturist Brooke Edmunds recommends testing soil before spring planting. Collect samples from multiple areas; testing for lead, cadmium, arsenic, nickel, and mercury. Then learn more about restoring soil biology. Thanks for listening, I’m Susie Craig. [Music] Resources Oregon State University Extension Service (September 2025). Is Wildfire Ash on Garden Produce Safe to Eat? https://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/wildfire-ash-garden-produce-safe-eat. Accessed online 8/10/26.

  4. 6d ago

    Trusted Wildfire Food Safety Resources

    Transcript [Music] Welcome to a special podcast series on wildfire food safety from Washington State University Extension. After a wildfire, where can you find research-based information you can trust about food and gardening safety? In this podcast, we explore resources to help protect food in your kitchen and produce in your garden after wildfire exposure. Start with land-grant universities, including Washington State University Extension, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, Oregon State University Extension and consult the USDA ’s Food Safety and Inspection Service for science-based guidance. You’ll find free webinars, guidelines, and best practices addressing produce safety during and after wildfires. Visit this podcast’s webpage to access these resources, links, and guidance. Reliable information supports informed decisions about harvesting, handling, washing, storing, and preparing food after wildfire smoke and ash. Thanks for listening. I’m Susie Craig. [Music] Resources Oregon State University Extension Service (September 2025). Is Wildfire Ash on Garden Produce Safe to Eat? https://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/wildfire-ash-garden-produce-safe-eat. Accessed online 8/10/26. UC Davis – UC Food Safety. Food Safety After a Disaster: Food Safety after Urban Wildfire Webinar, Post-fire Soil Safety Webinar, Best Practices for Produce Safety after a Fire. https://ucfoodsafety.ucdavis.edu/processing-distribution/food-safety-after-a-disaster. Accessed online 8/10/26. United State Department of Agriculture – Food Safety and Inspection Service. Fires and Food Safety. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/fsis-issues-public-health-alert-various-meat-and-poultry-products-containing-fda-0. Accessed online 8/10/26. Washington State University Extension – Consumer Food Safety. Emergency Preparedness – Fires and Food Safety. https://extension.wsu.edu/foodsafety/emergency-prep/. Assessed online 8/10/26.

  5. 6d ago

    Wildfire Food Safety: What’s at Risk – Your Health

    Transcript [Music] Welcome to Wildfire Food Safety from Washington State University Extension. Washington’s wildfire threatens more than homes and forests. Smoke, soot, firefighting chemicals, contaminated water, and heat can make food unsafe—even when flames never touch it. Shelf-stable foods, frozen and refrigerated foods, and backyard garden produce may all be affected. USDA guidance warns that toxic fumes can penetrate packaging and refrigerator or freezer seals, while firefighting chemicals can contaminate food. Smoke from wildfire and structural fires can contain contaminants from burning vegetation, vehicles, buildings, plastics, paints, batteries, and other materials. Potential hazards include hydrocarbons and metals such as lead, cadmium, nickel, and arsenic. After a wildfire, never taste questionable food to determine safety. When in doubt, throw it out to protect your health today. Thanks for listening to Food Safety in a Minute, I’m Susie Craig. [Music] Resources USDA FSIS, Fires and Food Safety; O’Dell et al., Environmental Science & Technology (2020). https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/emergencies/fires-and-food-safety. Accessed online 8/9/26.

  6. 6d ago

    Wildfire Smoke, Ash, and Your Garden: Is Your Produce Safe?

    Transcript [Music] Welcome to a special podcast series on wildfire food safety. I’m Susie Craig Is it safe to harvest garden produce after wildfire smoke and light ash exposure? Oregon State University Extension Service recommends first assessing your garden’s location. If it is near a burned structure, burned vehicles, smoke and ash may contain potentially harmful contaminants. However, this may not be the case for your garden only exposed to smoke and/or light ash. OSU Extension horticulturist Brooke Edmunds recommends rinsing produce outdoors, then washing it again in the kitchen sink. Peel tomatoes, apples, and root crops. To help remove soil and ash particles from kale, savoy cabbage, peaches, apricots, and nectarines, Edmunds recommends soaking produce in a 10% white vinegar solution: 1 cup vinegar to 9 cups water. Do not use soap or detergent. From Washington State University Extension, this is Food Safety in a Minute. [Music] Resources Oregon State University Extension Service (September 2025). Is Wildfire Ash on Garden Produce Safe to Eat? https://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/wildfire-ash-garden-produce-safe-eat. Accessed online 8/10/26.

  7. 6d ago

    Wildfire and Power Outages: Food Safety for Freezers and Refrigerators

    Transcript [Music] From Washington State University Extension, welcome to a special podcast series on wildfires and food safety. Wildfires may not directly threaten your home, but extended power outages can create serious food safety risks. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service recommend preparing insulated coolers, ice, and frozen gel packs for use during evacuation. If power is cut, keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. An unopened refrigerator keeps food cold for about four hours (40 degrees Fahrenheit or below); a full freezer for 48 hours, and a half-full freezer about 24 hours. If possible, take perishable food to a friend’s house. If evacuated and power is off for more than 24 hours, assume food is potentially unsafe. That’s true if power is restored while you’re evacuated, especially if temperatures cannot be verified after power restoration. I’m Susie Craig. Thanks for listening to 7 podcasts in this series. [Music] Resources U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service. (n.d.). Keep your food safe during emergencies: Power outages, floods & fires. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/emergencies/keep-your-food-safe-during-emergencies. Accessed online 8/7/26.

  8. Aug 12

    FSM 399: Tracing the Cyclospora Outbreak – Not as Easy as You Think

    Transcript [Music] From Washington State University Extension, this is Food Safety in a Minute. Federal investigators identified a Taylor Farms location in Mexico as the single supplier connected through traceback to shredded lettuce served at Taco Bell. They voluntarily removed iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico initiating recalls for food-service products and Marketside lettuce sold at Walmart. Identifying the supplier doesn’t always identify the specific farm, field, or contamination point. This investigation remains ongoing. A lettuce sample from Taylor Farms initially described as positive for Cyclospora was later reclassified as a false positive after laboratory review. Epidemiological interviews and supply-chain traceback support the iceberg lettuce link but still lack confirmation. It’s important for consumers to know it’s rare to have a cyclospora outbreak associated with produce grown in the United States. Thanks for listening, I’m Susie Craig. [Music] References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2026, July 18). Cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce in five states. https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/07-26/index.html. Accessed online 7/26/26. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2026, July 19). Investigation of five-state outbreak of Cyclospora illnesses: Iceberg lettuce. https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-9-state-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026. Accessed online 7/26/26.

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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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