When a storm approaches, keeping you and your family safe is the highest priority. Yet, many accidents happen after a storm has passed. Remember to always use caution, and follow county directives. In this three-part blog series, we will ... READ MORE
Category: Disaster Preparation, Food Safety, Work & Life![Home in storm [CREDIT: UF/IFAS, Cat Wofford]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/files/2024/10/Feature-Image-Blog-6-1.png)
Whether you're preparing for a storm or dealing with its aftermath, pests are probably the last thing on your mind. That's fair - we get it! However, taking the time to prepare your home in defense against unwanted ants, flies, beetles, moths, ... READ MORE
Category: Disaster Preparation, Food Safety, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife, Work & Life![a woman prepares sandwiches at a kitchen countertop. [credit: unsplash.com, hillshire farm]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/files/2024/09/2024_FCS_lunchSandwichHomePrep_unsplashHillshireFarmEDITSCROP1650x470TINY.png)
It's that time of year again. Children are back to school, with homework, sports and after-school activities. And, many households have dropped into a familiar school-centered rhythm, including packing school lunches. School lunches should ... READ MORE
Category: Food Safety, Health & Nutrition, Work & Life![whole-grain cereals pour from a glass jar into a pile, with other piles nearby, on a flat, empty tabletop. [credit: pixabay.com, angelica vaihel]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/files/2024/08/2024_FCS_grainsWholeJarCereals_pixabayAngelicaVaihelCROP1650x470.png)
Did you know that September is Whole Grains Month? And, did you know that the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans tell us that at least half our grains should be whole grains? And, do you know the parts of a whole grain? Or, the nutritional ... READ MORE
Category: Food Safety, Health & Nutrition, Work & Life![in a computer-generated image, a man holds his nose while standing in fron of an opened refrigerator. [credit: adobe firefly]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/files/2024/08/2024_FCS_refrigeratorOdorsMan01_fireflyCROP1650x470TINY.png)
Have you ever opened your refrigerator only to be hit by an unpleasant odor? Sure, that might be the onions you forgot to cover the night before. But, it might be bacteria, mold, leaking containers or expired foods lurking somewhere in your ... READ MORE
Category: Food Safety, Home Management, Work & Life![a digital meat thermometer reads 165.3 degrees fahrenheit while checking chicken on a barbecue grill. [credit: uf/ifas, tyle jones; edit: uf/ifas extension sarasota county]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/files/2024/07/2017_FCS_foodsafetyGrillingThermometer01UPDATE165F_ifasJonesTyler_CROP1650x470.jpg)
Have you ever heard of the "Temperature Danger Zone"? If you're like many, the term might be new to you. So, let's take a closer look. I have written several blogs on food safety and how to avoid a foodborne illness. But, in this blog, ... READ MORE
Category: Food Safety, Work & Life![a refrigerator shelf lined with fresh and processed foods. [credit: unsplash.com darrien staton]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/files/2024/06/2024_FCS_foodRefrigerator01_unsplashDarrienStatonEDITS1650x470TINY.jpg)
With hurricane season upon us, it's important to know how to prepare our perishable food supply if the power goes out. Knowing how to keep our food supply safe to eat is just as important as gathering your hurricane supplies and creating a ... READ MORE
Category: Food Safety, Health & Nutrition, Work & Life![a man holds his aching stomach, with food on a table in the background. [credit: pxhere.com]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/files/2024/06/2018_FCS_blogFoodSafety01_pxhereEDIT1650x470TINY.png)
A foodborne illness can affect anyone who eats food contaminated by bacteria, viruses, parasites, toxins, or other substances. The actual number of those who succumb to food sickness is unknown, but a 2011 report by the Centers for Disease ... READ MORE
Category: Food Safety, Health & Nutrition, Work & Life![fresh fish on ice in cooler. [credit: uf/ifas]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/files/2024/06/2019_FCS_foodsafetyColdHot01_pixabayGardnerScottCROP1650x470TINY.jpg)
More and more often, we hear news of an outbreak of a foodborne illness or food recall. Has something changed? Well, yes... actually, several things. There are several reasons why we hear of more food recalls. One reason is better surveillance ... READ MORE
Category: Food Safety, Health & Nutrition, Work & Life![closeup of a mound of fresh cucumbers. [credit: pixabay.com, renee olmsted photography]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/files/2024/06/2024_FCS_cucumbersFresh01_pixabayReneeOlmstedPhotographyCROP1650x470TINY.jpg)
Cucumbers believed to be contaminated with salmonella have been recalled in Florida and 13 other states, including Illinois and New York. If you recently purchased cucumbers at your grocery store, it's important to take the time to contact ... READ MORE
Category: Food Safety, Health & Nutrition, Work & Life