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Q: How can I get more information about the new food pyramid, My Pyramid?

A: Go to the website www.MyPyramid.gov and you will find how to customize your nutrition needs and much more.

Q: Is there a freshness test to see if eggs are too old to use? Will they float or sink if they are fresh? Can you add salt to the water to get a more accurate test?

A: NO, there is no water test. There is a carefully conducted brine test used for hatching purposes but it doesn't check the freshness of eggs. The best way to keep track of the freshness of your eggs is to find the expiration date, pack date and or keep track of the date you purchased the eggs. Eggs are still fresh 4 – 5 weeks beyond the pack date.

Facts About Eggs

• Fresh eggs have more air and water than old eggs do.
• Eggs are more likely to dry up in long term storage than "go bad" on you. All very old eggs will do is get a rattle sound.
• The sound you are hearing is all that is left of the egg, the minerals rattling around in the egg shell!

Q: When stored, at what point do eggs get contaminated with salmonella?

A: Salmonella won't grow in the refrigerator or the freezer. Once out of the refrigerator is when you need to be careful because bacteria grow rapidly at room temperature.

The Best Way to Store Eggs and Why

• Best advice to help you have the freshest eggs for the longest period of time is to put them in the coldest part of the refrigerator in the carton the eggs came in. It not only keeps them fresher but reminds you of the expiration date.

• If you throw out the carton in which your eggs were purchased you have nothing with the pack date or expiration date written on it. You will be more likely to combine eggs from different cartons and won't be able to distinguish which eggs are older.

• The worst thing you can do is take them out of the carton and store them in the door of the refrigerator. Out of the carton they will absorb odors and flavors from other foods in the refrigerator. The refrigerator door is the warmest part of the refrigerator, not a good place for eggs.

• They will also dry out faster outside of the carton.

Q: What does the expiration date mean?

A: It means different things to different packers. That is why it is good to try to locate the "pack date" on the carton. It is a universal number. It is a number between 1 to 365 representing the day of the year starting with January 1 as 001 and ending with December 31 as 365. It will be 013 for January 13, 1999, 044 for February 13, 1999 and so on. The best way to follow this would be to find a calendar that tells what day in the year each day is.

Q: Is the pack date the same as the expiration date?

A: No. The expiration date will say exp and a date. The "pack date" means what it says....the pack date. January 13 would be the numbers 013 somewhere on the carton representing the 13^th day of the year. The American Egg Board recommends refrigerator storage of up to 4-5 weeks beyond the pack date. In other words up to 28-35 days beyond the pack date is recommended. Throw the eggs out after February 10-17.

Q: Can I use my old recipe to make homemade meringue pie and still be safe with the eggs?

A: Yes, you can safely bake a meringue pie if you follow a few guidelines. Bake meringues at 350 degrees F at least 15 minutes. Old recipes call for 250 degrees, but alter up to 350 degrees F. To prevent the meringue from getting too dark, place on lower rack in oven.

Another option is to use purchased dried egg whites. This product is sometimes called "Meringue Powder." It is usually found in any store that sells cake decorating supplies. It has a very long shelf life (if stored in a cool, dry place) and works very well if you want to safely bake the meringue for a shorter time or at a lower temperature that is recommended above. As the purchased dried egg meringue or egg whites are pasteurized, the product is safe to use at a lower temperature baking or for a shorter time. Even so, the baked meringue pie is still a perishable food and should be stored in the refrigerator after baking.

Q: What happened? I have bugs in flour and other dried foods.

A: Flour, mixes, cereal, spices, and dried fruit are susceptible to infestation with beetles, weevils and moths even in the cleanest kitchen. They enter in products that were contaminated before you brought them home. While beetles such as the flour beetle, meal worm, and grain weevils make the product unappealing they are not harmful.

Sift them out of flour or mixes that are only slightly contaminated. If the product is riddled with the beetles discard it. Moths leave a grayish white silky mat on the food product.

To get rid of the infestation, remove all foods from the infected area and wash the area thoroughly. You may apply an approved pesticide for use in food areas in the racks and crevices that you cannot reach to clean.

Store foods in tightly closed containers to keep the food source away from any remaining beetles. Use glass, plastic and metal containers with tight fitting lids. Buy spices in bottles instead of metal containers with flip-top closures.

Other insects like cockroaches can carry dangerous microorganisms and diseases so discard products infested with these. Check with a pest control company for instructions on how to rid yourselves of these pests. There are some commercial products available, read and follow directions closely.

Q: How should raw eggs be stored? How should hard boiled eggs be stored? How about raw egg whites? How about casseroles with eggs in them?

A: Eggs should be kept refrigerated all the time. They should be stored in the original carton. They do not need washing before using. Recommended storage time for eggs in the refrigerator is three weeks.

Boiled eggs will keep a week in the refrigerator. It is suggested they be left unshelled until ready to use. They seem to keep better and have better quality. Cooked egg dishes (like casseroles, deviled eggs) should be stored in the refrigerator and used within three days.

Raw egg whites will keep one week in the refrigerator and 12 months in the freezer. Egg yolks will keep 3 days in the refrigerator and 12 months in the freezer, but the yolks will thicken when frozen.

Q: Our power is still out from the storm. What about the food in the refrigerator and the freezer?

A: Wind storms and thunderstorms can cause extended power outages and that means your refrigerators and freezers aren't working! Sometimes your freezer in in the basement or garage accidentally gets unplugged. What foods can be saved and how do you tell? Here are some guidelines to go by.

Generally...

• Food in the refrigerator is safe as long as the power is out no more than a few hours. Be sure to keep the door closed to keep the cold air inside.

In the Refrigerator...

• Food will usually keep cold in the refrigerator 4-6 hours.
• If power goes out in winter and you have an insulated picnic cooler (48-54 quart size works well), put your refrigerated food in that with ice. That container is smaller and will keep cooler longer.

Ok for a Few Days in the Refrigerator...

• Barbecue sauce
• Bread, rolls, cakes, and muffins
• Butter
• Cheese (hard and processed)
• Fruits & vegetables (fresh)
• Fruit juice
• Jelly
• Margarine
• Peanut butter (opened jars)
• Pies (fruit)
• Relish
• Salad Dressing

For all the rest of foods... the most important rule to remember in keeping food safe is: discard refrigerated foods if kept over 2 hours at above 40°F.

NOT Okay...

The following foods are primary culprits in food poisoning and should be discarded if left over 2 hours above 40°F.

• Casseroles, stews or soups
• Doughs (refrigerator and cookie)
• Eggs (fresh, egg substitutes)
• Gravies
• Lunch meats
• Mayonnaise and Tartar sauce
• Meat, (raw or cooked), poultry & seafood
• Milk/ cream, yogurt, soft-cheese
• Pasta (cooked pasta, pasta salads)
• Pastries (cream-filled)
• Pies (custard, chiffon or cheese)
• Pizza, (meat-topped)

In the Freezer...

• Just because the power goes off doesn't mean all the food in your freezer will spoil. Food in a full, free-standing freezer will be safe for about 2 days; a half full freezer for about 1 day.
• Discard foods that have become fully thawed (or cook right away.)
• Except... hard cheeses, fruits & vegetables. These foods can safely be re-frozen.

If the Food Thaws...?

• Despite your best efforts, the food in your freezer may partially or completely thaw before power is restored.
• Foods may be safely refrozen if they still contain ice crystals. Partial thawing and re-freezing reduces the quality of foods, particularly fruits, vegetables and prepared foods.
• Unspoiled meat may be cooked and then refrozen.

Meat & Poultry...

• Should be discarded if the color or odor is poor or questionable or if the meat temperature has exceeded 40 degrees F for more than 2 hours.

Fish & Shellfish...

• Should NOT be refrozen if thawed completely since these foods are extremely perishable. But you may refreeze if ice crystals are present.

Frozen Dinner & Ice Cream...

• Do not refreeze.

Q: What foods aren't recommended for freezing? I never know what is okay and what isn't.

Some foods don't produce quality products after they have been frozen. There is not a safety concern, only quality deterioration.

* Use Clear Jel (modified corn starch) to prevent separation.