FOR RELEASE THE WEEK OF MARCH 18, 2001:
Is it all right to eat cold leftovers? For example, we really like cold meat-loaf sandwiches.
For food-safety reasons, it’s a good idea to always reheat leftover meats, gravies, vegetables and casseroles, says Sandy McCurdy, University of Idaho extension food safety specialist. This is especially true if the food will be eaten by those consumers who are considered especially susceptible to food-borne illness: infants, young children, pregnant women, older adults and people whose immunity has been lowered by HIV/AIDS, cancer treatments or organ transplants.
Leftovers may have been exposed to coughs, sneezes and contaminated hands during meals, and some of those disease germs can grow in the refrigerator, McCurdy explains.
Meats, gravies, vegetables and casseroles are also excellent environments for the organisms that cause food-borne illnesses. Although these bacteria were probably killed during the original cooking process, some of them have a heat-resistant stage–known as spores–that can germinate in your food while it’s on the table.
"Even when you return the leftovers to the refrigerator promptly after eating, some food-borne pathogens can rebuild their populations at refrigerator temperatures," McCurdy says.
Food-safety experts recommend reheating leftover meats, vegetables and casseroles to 165 degrees Fahrenheit and leftover gravies, sauces and soups to the boiling point.
Our Scotch pine is oozing sap. How can we tell if this is normal or if we have a problem?
All trees can ooze sap–or "pitch," in the case of conifers–at any given time of their lives, says Yvonne Carree Barkley, University of Idaho extension forestry associate. Usually this normal oozing, or streaming, is from pruning wounds or branch crotches.
"If you’re seeing large amounts of sap, then it’s time to take a closer look," says Carree. Check for holes, which often reveal activity by such insects as bark beetles under the bark. "Look closely," she says. "The holes can be as small as pinholes."
Some insects also leave large, very obvious wads of pitch on the trunk. And a few diseases, including white pine blister rust, can prompt sap to ooze.
If you’re uncomfortable with the amount of sap or pitch coming out of your tree, Barkley recommends contacting the UI Cooperative Extension educator in your county for a diagnosis.
I will be going back to work soon and putting my 14-month-old daughter in child-care. What should I look for in a child-care provider?
Look for a person who will be loving, responsive and trustworthy–one who is eager to foster your child’s curiosity and creativity and to praise her new skills, says Diane Demarest, coordinator of the University of Idaho’s Parents as Teachers demonstration project.
Look for an environment that is clean, safe and comfortable, so that your child will learn to explore, play and feel secure.
Look for many kinds of toys, books, sights, sounds and materials to experience so that she can experiment, practice solving problems and be stimulated to learn.
And look for scheduled quiet times and rest periods so that your daughter will have opportunities to play alone creatively and won’t be overstimulated.
In addition, make sure the child-care provider is appropriately registered or licensed, has training in first aid and CPR, and has satisfactory references (both past employment history and police check). Inquire about the adult-to-child ratio, past staff turnover rate and the caregiver’s training in early childhood development. Finally, before enrolling your child, discuss the caregiver’s policies and philosophies on discipline, toilet training, aggression, accidents, play, separation anxiety and problem-solving to make sure they’re consistent with yours.
Once you’ve selected a child-care provider, take action to keep your new three-way partnership strong. "Visit often," says Demarest. "Talk to the caregiver and observe how your baby is stimulated and nurtured."
[READERS: Do you have a question about your home, yard or garden? Send it to HomeWise, University of Idaho Ag Communications, Moscow, ID 83844-2332 or e-mail it to homewise@uidaho.edu. Mention of proprietary products or firms does not constitute endorsement by the University of Idaho Cooperative Extension System or imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.]