Home Improvement: Well Water Testing

Location, Location, Location.  Realtors are aware that location is important to home buyers. Many home buyers dream of getting away from the city bustle and heading toward the quiet of the country.  Buyers need to learn what comes with the country life and what does not. One thing that does not normally come with a… Continue reading Home Improvement: Well Water Testing

What does “Sell By”, “Use By” and “Best By” mean, anyway?

“You can’t drink that milk!  The date on it is yesterday.”   Who has heard that?  Or was it you who said it?  The dates printed on milk jugs are probably some of the most misunderstood set of numbers in the grocery store.  One of the most common arguments people have at home is whether… Continue reading What does “Sell By”, “Use By” and “Best By” mean, anyway?

Daily Laboratories Announces the Renewal of their ISO 17025:2005 Accreditation

Peoria, IL, Dec. 08, 2015./ Daily Laboratories, Division of Mobilab, Inc. Daily Laboratories, a food and water microbiology testing laboratory, has been awarded their renewal of ISO/IEC 1705:2005 accreditation. This internationally recognized accreditation verifies Daily Laboratories has a quality management system and the technical requirements in place to provide consistent, reliable and accurate test results.… Continue reading Daily Laboratories Announces the Renewal of their ISO 17025:2005 Accreditation

Online Vendors of Meat and Seafood: How it Arrives

Atlantic farmed Salmon

Wow!  Look at the great price from this online meat place for all this.  Let’s order some. Ordering perishable meat and seafood online is becoming increasingly popular. However, there are no standards for packing and shipping these items.  While usually packed in coolers with cold packs or dry ice, they are transported, stored and delivered… Continue reading Online Vendors of Meat and Seafood: How it Arrives

Refrigerator Cross-contamination

Myth:  Cross-contamination doesn’t happen in the refrigerator — it is too cold in there for germs to survive.   FACT:  Some bacteria can survive and even grow in cool, moist environments like the refrigerator.   In fact, Listeria monocytogenes  grows at temperatures as low as 35 °F.  A recent study from NSF International revealed that the refrigerator… Continue reading Refrigerator Cross-contamination

Well Water Testing

Testing drinking water for E. coli bacteria.

From the Illinois EPA: Properly constructed and maintained water wells can provide many years of trouble-free service, but wells can eventually deteriorate or become damaged and allow surface contaminants to enter the water. In addition, some groundwater can contain one or more chemical substances in levels above health-based standards. In some cases, contamination of the… Continue reading Well Water Testing

Was it something I ate?

In 2014 in New Hampshire, over 20 people were infected with salmonella associated with pet treats. This is not because Americans are eating their pets’ treats, but because they are not washing their hands after handling them!  Typically, pet owners are showing symptoms of fever, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting within 12-24 hours of handling… Continue reading Was it something I ate?

7 Must-Haves in Your Sanitation SOP

News Feature | October 28, 2014 According to a recent article on FoodOnline.com, your Sanitation Standard Operating Procedure (SSOP) and/or your Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) process must cover these seven issues. First and foremost, it is essential that you document everything. Read the article here:  http://www.foodonline.com/doc/must-haves-in-your-sanitation-sop-0001  

Myth or Fact: I don’t need to rinse my melon

“I don’t need to rinse this melon for safety — the part I eat is on the inside!.“ 2014 The Partnership for Food Safety Education The non-profit Partnership for Food Safety Education saves lives and improves public health through research-based, actionable, consumer food safety initiatives that reduce foodborne illness.

Get a Cheese Fix

Cheese Fix: There’s a reason we love cheese.  It contains tiny amounts on potentially addictive substances. Some of the feel-good chemicals come from casein, a milk protein that’s concentrated during cheesemaking.  Our digestion breaks down casein, creating morphine-like chemicals called casomorphins. But that’s not all.  Milk may also include traces of morphine itself, produced in… Continue reading Get a Cheese Fix