What is the safest way to thaw a turkey? Is homemade eggnog even safe? Why isn’t it okay to lick the spoon while making cookies?
Prof. Jeffrey Farber, the director of the Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety at the University of Guelph, has the answers to these questions and more.
Farber is a food microbiologist with U of G’s Department of Food Science. He says food poisoning affects about one in eight Canadians every year, and much of that is likely due to unsafe handling, cooking and cleaning procedures in the home.
Despite years of public health campaigns, many myths and misunderstandings still exist about safe kitchen practices. One study Farber recently completed examined the food safety practices suggested in popular cookbooks and found that a good portion of them get it wrong, with many giving unsafe instructions, such as advising home cooks to rinse off poultry.
Farber is available to discuss what all home cooks need to know this holiday season to ensure that even among the chaos of family dinners, everyone stays safe.
Contact:
Prof. Jeffrey Farber
jfarber@uoguelph.ca