Is cooking with an air fryer healthier than eating regular fried food? Why or why not?

Bogden: “Yes, especially when compared to typical fried food from a restaurant! Sure, you are saving a significant amount of calories by using an air fryer but the biggest benefit is the fact that you are not consuming inflammatory oil, rich in Omega 6. (Hint, we want more Omega 3!)”

How do air fryers provide a different experience for cooking at home?

Bogden: “Not only is using an air fryer quick and easy, but it provides a really unique crispy texture that is typically only achieved by a deep fryer.”

Is the cost of purchasing one of these cooking appliances worth it?

Bogden: “If you are a lover of fried foods AND you are willing to put the time into preparing food at home, the answer is yes! Many of my clients find that they are going out to eat less now that they have an air fryer. Less money spent + less inflammatory fat consumed = BIG WIN!”

Are there any concerns consumers should address before buying these products for their own home?

Bogden: “I would strongly advise that you consider biting the bullet and paying a little extra for an air fryer that is not made primarily of plastic. It is well documented that repeated consumption of food prepared in heated plastic is hazardous to human health.”

How should consumers clean/maintain their cooking appliances to ensure food safety?

Bogden: “An air fryer is best cleaned with a sponge and soapy, hot water. Be careful what utensil you use to scrape off food, otherwise you will scratch the metal. Although most parts are usually dishwasher safe, it is typically faster to hand wash. My recommendation would be to soak the tray immediately after serving as you sit down to eat.”

Is there anything else you believe consumers should know about regarding food safety?

Bogden: “If you are using your air fryer for multiple rounds at one meal, be sure to set an additional timer for yourself on your phone to make sure to retrieve the last batch that was made! It is a fairly small, closed contraption, therefore making it easier to leave food behind. Suddenly, 4 days later you start to see flies and you may need a power washer to get off the crusted food!”

When using new cooking appliances, consumers should be aware of foodborne illnesses related to poor cooking practices. Francisco Diez-Gonzalez, Professor and Director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia, shared some tips for consumers interested in purchasing new food technology appliances.

Dr. Diez-Gonzalez: “An air fryer is a technology that uses hot air to cook food. Like any other type of cooking technique, the main concern is that the product reaches the appropriate temperature to kill potentially pathogenic microorganisms. The best way to verify the temperature is using a cooking thermometer checking the food itself.”

Bogden also shared her favorite recipe—air fried Brussels sprouts–to use in the air fryer. You can find more recipes on Kylene’s Instagram.

The health benefits of cooking your favorite fried foods in an air fryer provide guilt-free snacks and meals for foodies everywhere. It’s important to keep in mind food safety precautions when cleaning/maintaining your cooking appliance.

The post Love is in the Air…Fryer appeared first on Best Food Facts.

First off, is microwaving food safe?

Dr. Diez- Gonzalez: “Yes. There is very little evidence that microwaving itself poses any risks. The only potential risk resulting from the uneven distribution of heating that creates pockets of low temperature is the survival of pathogenic organisms. This has been illustrated with a number of raw frozen chicken entrees which have caused salmonellosis cases due to the lack of thorough heating.”

In addition, Dr. Diez- Gonzalez says that there are certain types of containers that are not safe, or recommended to microwave. These types of containers include:

• Metal containers
• Some soft plastic materials
• Paper plates
• Cardboard

The best types of containers to microwave are ceramics and glass.

Does microwaving food cause any loss in nutritional value?

Dr. Diez- Gonzalez: “Similar to other types of food heating, microwave can also lead to a small reductions in vitamin content. However, the rapid microwave heating is less detrimental to labile nutrients than conventional heating.”

How hot does a microwave get? Does it cook my food to safe levels?

Dr. Diez- Gonzalez: “A microwave does not heat itself. The microwave heats the materials placed inside of the microwaving chamber. The food can reach boiling water temperatures depending on its composition.  Liquid foods can get to safe levels because they can be shaken and the temperature can be homogeneous. However, solid foods may not be evenly cooked and there may be some small portions of surviving pathogenic cells.”

Are there any foods that should not be microwaved?

Dr. Diez- Gonzalez: “Yes, there are a number of dry foods that may catch fire when microwaved.”

Some additional items that should not be microwaved include dry pastas, fruit, hot peppers and processed meats.

When it comes to using microwaves, food safety is not the only factor that makes people hesitate to use microwaves. Human health and safety is another factor at play.

What happens if I stand too close to the microwave when it is operating?

Dr. Diez- Gonzalez: “Nothing, given the current standards of manufacturers the amount of radiation leaking from a typical household microwave is extremely small and it is negligible to cause any health risk.”

I’ve heard that microwaves emit harmful radiation. Is that true?

Dr. Diez- Gonzalez: “The type of radiation that microwaves emit is harmless as long as the microwave oven is operated according to its design. Manufacturers of household microwaves have built in safety measures to contain the radiation within the instrument.”

In summary, yes, microwaves do emit some level of radiation. But according to the Washington Post, this level of radiation is nothing to worry about.  “To put things in perspective, your laptop, cordless phone and cellphone all leak electromagnetic radiation, too.”

The article goes on to discuss how the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sets guidelines and regulations to ensure that microwaves are safe to use.

“The Food and Drug Administration has strict limits on the amount that can leak from a microwave oven throughout its lifetime, and it is far below the amount known to harm people. Part of the requirement is that the appliances are built with double ‘interlock’ systems that stop the production of microwaves as soon as the latch is released. … The level of normal exposure also drops dramatically as you move away from the oven — so, to be extra cautious, simply stand away from it while it’s on. Microwaves turn on and off like a light bulb: when they are off, no waves are emitted, and microwave energy cannot linger in the oven or in food.”

An additional question we received from one of our staffers pertained to new moms.

Here’s a concern with moms – is it okay to microwave baby bottles?

Dr. Diez- Gonzalez: “It’s a little different if you are referring to heating the formula in the bottles or to microwave the bottles for disinfection purposes. If the former: first check with the manufacturer that the bottle material is microwave compatible and after heating the formula, make sure to shake well because of the uneven distribution of heat during microwave and the potential for hot spots to scald the baby.”

Overall, microwaves will continue to have a special spot in our kitchens. They are great for producing food in a quick manner and help preserve some nutritious parts to fruits and vegetables.

The post Is Microwave Cooking Safe? appeared first on Best Food Facts.

For many of us, it is a big day for cooking. Just how big? On average, Americans spend 128 minutes – just over two hours – on meal preparation on Thanksgiving Day, according to research by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

That time is more than three times the 34 minutes that we spend on those tasks on the typical Saturday or Sunday.

We also spend more time eating. No surprise there! On Thanksgiving, we’ll spend about an hour and a half at the dinner table. We’ll also be socializing with friends and family for about 148 minutes.

The other big activity on Thanksgiving Day is watching television and movies. The study didn’t specify how much of that time is actually spent napping, which we suspect is a big Thanksgiving Day activity.

How much will you be cooking this holiday? Let us know in the comments and vote in our poll for your favorite Thanksgiving foods.

The post A Big Day for Cooking appeared first on Best Food Facts.

Consumers have a lot of questions about how chickens are raised these days. Are chickens fed additional hormones? How about antibiotics? And what does the label farm-raised chickens really mean?

Best Food Facts checked in with experts Dr. Ken Macklin, with the Department of Poultry Science, Auburn University and Dr. Terry Etherton, with the Department of Dairy & Animal Science at Penn State University for answers.

Are hormones given to chickens raised for meat? If not, what is the difference between chicken labeled as hormone-free and chicken that does not carry that label?

Dr. Macklin:

No chickens raised in the U.S. or internationally, are given hormones. Feeding chickens additional hormones has been illegal in the U.S. since the 1950s, and it’s just not a cost-effective way to raise chickens. Why do some companies label chicken as hormone-free? Chickens have hormones like all living things, but there are no additional hormones labeled to any chickens, anywhere. There is no difference between chickens labeled as hormone-free and those that do not carry that label.

Dr. Etherton:

Hormones are not used in poultry production for broilers or egg layers. Every animal and plant that exists has natural hormones that they produce. The only difference between chicken labeled hormone-free and chicken not labeled as such is how the company chooses to market the product.  

What does the label farm-raised chicken mean? Aren’t all chickens raised on farms?

Dr. Etherton:

As far as I know it doesn’t have a specific definition. All chickens and animals raised for food production are raised on a farm of some sort, whether it’s large, small or in between.

Dr. Macklin:

They all are farm-raised. Some companies choose to market their products differently to appeal to their customer base. To be honest, every single chicken producer in the country could label their product as farm-raised in a literal sense.

Are farm-raised chickens raised with antibiotics?

Dr. Macklin:

The farm-raised chickens label really doesn’t differentiate, unless it says raised without antibiotics. They’ll all be antibiotic free because they went through a withdrawal period. The farm-raised label doesn’t mean they are raised without antibiotics.

Dr. Etherton:

There are some that are, but that is being phased out. Sub-therapeutic doses put in feed, primarily for broilers, to deal with sub-clinical health issues will be phased out.

Should I be concerned that eating chicken that was fed antibiotics might have antibiotic residue, or contribute to increased antibiotic resistance?

Dr. Etherton:

No, first, the dose is really, really small. Secondly, those antibiotics are typically not used in human health. Thirdly, if you just look at the population evidence, we’ve got people living longer than ever before and we’ve got the safest food supply in recorded history, and my view is that we shouldn’t be concerned.

Dr. Macklin:

Representatives from every flock are tested for antibiotic residue. That’s why they have the withdrawal period from seven to 14 days before the birds are processed, during which time the chickens are not given any antibiotics to make sure there is none in the meat. It’s a bit harder to say, whether antibiotic resistance is increasing. There are those that think livestock and poultry use of antibiotics contribute to antibiotic resistance, and there’s some compelling evidence that it may. On the flip side, there’s plenty of evidence to say that it doesn’t contribute to antibiotic resistance. As a scientist, I can’t say there is enough evidence to say that livestock and poultry use of antibiotics does or does not contribute to antibiotic resistance.

Will new regulations limiting the use of animal antibiotics important to human medicine affect how chickens are raised?

Dr. Macklin:

The new regulations will not affect companies with a veterinarian on staff at all. Even broiler companies that have a consulting vet shouldn’t see major disruptions because the new regulations require a veterinarian to write a prescription. It will reduce use of growth promotants, but it really won’t affect how chickens are raised. Chicken might cost a little more because they won’t grow as fast or as uniform, so production may not be as efficient.

Dr. Etherton:

Animals that periodically have sub-clinical health issues that affect growth rate can cause an economic problem. The industry will just have to deal with it. If, for example, feed efficiency worsens and it takes longer to grow animals to market weight, there will be an economic cost to consumers.

Will these new regulations mean chickens get sick more often?

Dr. Etherton:

I would expect that will be the case, but if it’s sub-clinical you might not see it, so it’s a fine gray line.

Dr. Macklin:

Yes, I know of a company that is completely antibiotic free, and they have a hard time combating illnesses. Veterinarians have a hard time not being able to treat animals when they get sick. Veterinarians take an oath to protect animal health and welfare, and they don’t like seeing these animals get sick. If the veterinarian works for a company producing antibiotic-free chicken, and they must treat a bird, it has to go to a different processing plant and is a logistical problem. If the chickens get sick more often, feed efficiency (amount of feed per lb. of gain) gets worse and the uniformity of the chicken suffers, it will be very challenging for producers.

Do I need to be concerned about eating chicken that might have been sick?

Dr. Macklin:

Assuming all safety procedures that are in place work properly, you will not be eating a sick chicken. There are a number of safeguards in place to prevent this. If the chickens are sick, they should not be sent from the farm to the processing plant. When the chickens get to the processing plant they are inspected by crews from the processing plant and USDA inspectors. While no process is 100 percent effective, I wouldn’t be too concerned about eating sick chicken, because there are a lot of safeguards in place. Also, you should inspect poultry you purchase at the grocery store and be sure to cook poultry to adequate temperatures. As long as you cook chicken properly it should be safe.

Dr. Etherton:

Animals that go into the food chain go through USDA-inspected plants, so there is a visual inspection of the carcass. With proper handling and cooking, food will be safe. For food safety, we have evolved the best system we’ve ever had, but even that system is not absent of risk.

Are there alternatives to antibiotics to keep chickens healthy?

Dr. Etherton:

I think best management practices and biosecurity methods, to attempt to keep out any pathogens, will be really important.

Dr. Macklin:

There are many alternatives. Pre-biotics feed the good bacteria and fight off the bad. Probiotics are your good bacteria, (similar to yogurt with the live cultures for humans) to fight off the bad bacteria. Then you have essential oils, organic acids and a whole slew of options producers can use to keep chickens healthy. The fault with many of them is they just are not as effective as antibiotics, which is why the poultry industry has used antibiotics for so long.

Is there a risk that the chicken I purchased from the grocery store may have been raised in the U.S., but processed in China?

Dr. Macklin:

There may be a risk but it is so miniscule, you shouldn’t worry about it. I would hazard a guess that 99.99 percent of chickens are raised and processed in the U.S. with 100 percent of chicken you find in the store being raised in the U.S. Also, any products shipped to the U.S. would have to meet our processing standards, meaning there are USDA inspectors on site watching the processors. The U.S. would not send live chickens – if anything, we would be sending carcasses to be further processed. Those steps are inspected by USDA, so steps are in place to make sure everything is up to our standards.

Dr. Etherton:

I’m not sure the economics would make sense to grow chickens in the U.S., ship them to China and have companies from China ship them back here, though traceability is a challenge in animal agriculture, so it’s hard to know definitively.

The post Farm-Raised Chickens: Answers on Antibiotics, Hormones and More appeared first on Best Food Facts.

Noun. A preparation containing the active ingredient of a substance in concentrated form, and used in cooking and baking to add flavor.

Used in a sentence:

Vanilla beans in a recipe can be replaced with vanilla extract.

The post Word of the Week: Extract appeared first on Best Food Facts.

“Good food safety is really important because of one in six of us, as Americans, will get foodborne illness some time this year and it starts with bringing that food home,” Haugen said.

Start with your grocery bags. If you use reuseable bags, wash them because studies show that bacteria can live grocery bags. Once you have your food home and properly stored, there are four key things to keep your food safe.

“The first one is washing your hands. So even bringing that food home and putting it in the refrigerator, your hands are already contaminated. And any time I handle meats, I always use paper towels instead of a cloth towel because you can always transfer bacteria if you’re just using a towel,” Haugen said.

“The second tip that I have would be to keep things separate. And that would be especially when you’re preparing your meat and your poultry. You want to have a separate cutting board for raw meat and you want to have a separate cutting board for cooked meats. It’s also really important to make sure you get good cutting in boards that are dishwasher safe and not using wood cutting boards,” she said.

The next step is to use a meat thermometer and make sure food is cooked to the proper temperature. “You can eliminate all bacteria in your raw meat by getting things to the right temperature,” she said.

For whole cuts of pork and beef, such as steaks or roasts, cook to 145 degrees. Ground beef should be cooked 160 degrees and poultry, such as chicken and turkey, need to be cooked to 165 degrees.

“Last but not least is storage. As soon as possible after your meal, put it in a container and you want to make sure that you can label it too so you know “when did I put this in here.” And I like to have them clear just because you can see them what’s inside otherwise you tend to forget,” Haugen said.

Proper food handling can help make sure your food is safe and keep you and your family healthy. Remember these tips”

• Wash reusable shopping bags
• Wash hands thoroughly
• Separate raw and cooked meats
• Use a meat thermometer to make sure foods are cooked to the proper temperature
• Promptly refrigerate leftovers

Check out out video series on antibiotic resistance:

What Causes Antibiotic Resistance? Part 1

Antibiotic Resistance and Use in Food Animals. Part 2

Antibiotic Resistance and Navigating Food Labels. Part 3

The post Antibiotic Resistance and Proper Kitchen Techniques. Part 4 appeared first on Best Food Facts.

Hard-boiled eggs can be used in many delicious dishes like deviled eggs or egg salad, or they can be eaten by themselves for a quick source of protein. But what’s the best way to hard boil an egg? Ask around and you’re likely to get several different answers. To help you create the perfect hard-boiled egg, we’ve provided some handy tips.

First, it’s important to keep your eggs safe by storing them in the coldest area of the refrigerator and in the original carton to be able to check the Julian and sell-by dates. Fresh eggs can be hard to peel after boiling, so you might want to keep your eggs in the refrigerator for about a week before hard-boiling.

Eggs may be refrigerated for up to five weeks and frozen for up to one year.
Click To Tweet

Before and after handling eggs, wash hands, utensils and surfaces with warm, soapy water. Separate eggs from raw meat, seafood and poultry to prevent cross-contamination. Do not leave eggs out more than two hours, as a cold egg left at room temperature can sweat, which may cause bacteria growth.

Once you’ve ensured you’re using safe eggs, follow these steps from the Incredible Egg to make the perfect hard-boiled eggs:

1. Place eggs in a saucepan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add cold water to cover the eggs by one inch.
2. Heat over high heat to boiling.
3. As soon as the water begins to boil, remove from the burner and cover pan. Let the eggs stand in hot water about 12 minutes for large eggs, nine minutes for medium eggs, and 15 minutes for extra-large eggs.
4. Drain immediately and add cold water so the eggs stop cooking.
5. If you plan to eat the egg immediately, tap the egg all around to peel the shell from the egg.
6. The key to peeling the shell is to get your thumb under the membrane, not just the shell.

Once you’ve cooked those eggs to hard-boiled perfection, remember that they spoil faster than fresh eggs. Shell eggs have a protective coating that is washed away when hard-boiled. This leaves the pores in the shell open for bacteria to enter. Hard-boiled eggs should be refrigerated within two hours of cooking and used within one week.

And be sure to check out the Incredible Egg for inspiration on how to use hard-boiled eggs in delicious recipes!

The post The Devil’s in the Details: How to Hard Boil an Egg appeared first on Best Food Facts.

So, how do different oils factor into a healthy diet? It all comes down to the types of fat found in different kinds of oil. We asked our own registered dietitian Sarah Downs to give us an overview on the different types of fats and their impacts on health.

Sarah Downs: “Fat is essential to health and helps to support many bodily functions. Fat helps to absorb certain important nutrients, builds nerve tissue and hormones, serves as an energy source and can add to the satisfaction and pleasure of eating. Oils are made up of fatty acids, which have specific components that affect how they perform in cooking and affect health. The most common of these fatty acids are unsaturated fats, saturated fats and trans fats.

• Unsaturated Fats – These are liquid at room temperature and come in two main forms, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. These fats may help reduce heart disease and lower cholesterol levels.
• Saturated Fats – These fats are typically solid at room temperature. Many studies have linked diets high in saturated fat with elevated cholesterol levels and increased risk for heart disease, so it’s best to consume these in moderation.
• Trans Fats – Some occur naturally, but most are manufactured through hydrogenation, which helps increase shelf life. Trans fats can raise LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol, a combination that increases the risk of heart disease. Experts suggest consuming trans fats in limited quantities.

Keep in mind all fats have 9 calories per gram, so even the healthier choices can contribute a significant amount of calories to the diet if consumed in excess.”

What oils would you suggest?

Sarah Downs: “Often times it comes down to what you are cooking/baking and taste preference. My favorites are olive oil and canola oil. Canola oil has a neutral flavor and medium-high smoke point, which makes it extremely versatile. Olive oil is a source of not only monounsaturated fats but antioxidants called polyphenols, making it a great choice for heart health.”

Need a visual? This infographic highlights the six most commonly consumed oils, the types of fat they contain and common uses.

_{“Chile Olive Oil” by catalina woken is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.}

The post All About Oils: The Slick of It appeared first on Best Food Facts.

For more information, we reached out to Ethan Bergman, PhD, RD, CD, FADA, Associate Dean of the College of Education and Professional Studies and Professor of Food Science and Nutrition at Central Washington University, and food and nutrition consultant Judy Barbe, MS, RDN. What did they have to say? Is it healthier to eat at home than it is to dine out? The answer is…

It all depends on you, the consumer!

Both Dr. Bergman and Judy Barbe agree that this question can’t be answered with a simple yes or no.

Dr. Bergman says: “When a person eats at home and prepares the food themselves, they have control over the ingredients that are added to foods. Home eating also provides the opportunity to select foods that lead to good health. But eating at home is no guarantee that the foods prepared and selected will be healthier or more nutritious. A person preparing the home meals may add ingredients that lead to chronic disease such as heart disease and diabetes.”

Is eating at home healthier than dining out? It’s more than just a simple “yes” or “no”.
Click To Tweet

Because you have more control over what you’re eating when you choose to prepare it yourself, it’s more likely that it will contain fewer calories than restaurant meals. Judy Barbe refers to a recent study on meals where researchers found that those who choose to eat home-cooked meals actually do end up eating healthier and consuming fewer calories. The study, which will be published online in the journal Public Health Nutrition, also found that those who cooked dinner at home at least six to seven times a week consumed an average of 2,164 calories daily, while those who dined out more, cooking at home no more than once a week, consumed an average of 2,301 calories daily.

Both experts point out that there are certain circumstances that may lead to dining out being considered unhealthy. Judy Barbe asks, when you eat out are you celebrating with cocktails and foods you wouldn’t normally eat at home? Do you start off with a bread or tortilla chip basket? Do you order an appetizer plus the fried shrimp and fries? Are you choosing steamed, broiled, or grilled versions? Restaurant serving sizes tend to be generous. Are you taking half home? Dr. Bergman agrees that when eating in a restaurant, a person may overeat as a consequence of finishing the entire portion that is served.

What have we learned? Dining out can be just as healthy as eating at home – it’s all about the choices you make! While cooking at home gives you total control over what you are consuming and may often lead to a healthier, more balanced meal, we understand that sometimes you need a break and would rather someone serve you! If you do choose to head out for your next meal, stick to registered dietitian Carolyn O’Neil’s Restaurant Road Rules to help you determine a better route to nutritious eating at your favorite restaurant.

The post Is Eating At Home Healthier Than Dining Out? appeared first on Best Food Facts.