Thursday, December 15, 2011

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Health, Wellness, Exercise, Reflections:

Food Expiration Dates: Should You Eat That?

By Diane Wedner / December 15, 2011

Confused by food expiration dates? Figuring out when to toss that packaged poultry can confound even the smartest women, and the wide range of labeling standards don't make it easier. Whether it's meat or dairy, fresh or canned, find out what a "use by" date really means – and how it can save you money…

That half-full container of milk in your refrigerator was date-stamped three days ago. A sniff test doesn't turn your stomach and it hasn't gone chunky. Should you take a chance and pour it over your kids' cereal?

The experts say: Sure! In fact, many foods are just fine past their listed "sell by" dates.

"If it smells OK, the world won't come to an end [if you eat it]," says Jeanne Goldberg, Ph.D., professor of nutrition at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy at Tufts University in Boston.

"It's better to use food quickly before it expires – but a large part of your decision-making should be common sense," she says.

In fact, expiration dates mean more to grocers than they do to consumers. Most packaged foods with dates stamped on them help store owners and manufacturers track the products.

Dates and codes vary, and the government regulates almost none of it.

"Seventy percent of shelf-life dates on products are [manufacturer] guesses," says Ted Labuza, Ph.D., professor of food science and nutrition at the University of Minnesota.

Yet most consumers would rather take a hit to their pocketbooks than eat food that's "expired."

"People don't care what we say or if food smells fine," says Kathy Bernard, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. "They can't get past that date – if it's expired, they throw it out."

The labels aren't easy to decipher either.Walking the aisles of a local supermarket recently, the Medical Detective found an "enjoy before" label on a carton of juice, a "sell by" label on refrigerated salad dressing, a "better if used by" label on a box of cereal, and a "use or freeze by" label on a package of ground turkey.

(What does it all mean? See "Label Language" at the end of this article.)

Most of us sort through perishables at the market to get the latest possible use by date, Labuza says.

But freshness often depends more on how quickly an item went from delivery truck to store-refrigerator case than the date on the package label.

"Ironically, the older product in a store may be the [fresher] one, depending how quickly it hit the refrigerator," he adds. "[Reading labels] is no guarantee you're getting a better product."

Some foods last longer than their use by date, while others – such as meat – can go bad days before the label suggests it should.

Besides, the listed dates have more to do with a food's quality than its safety.

"Safety is about avoiding the growth of pathogens [bacteria] that can cause infection or poisoning," Labuza says. "Quality is about freshness, flavor and texture – whether your potato chips are crisp or soggy."

How Long You Can Store Food
If you're like most people, you care about flavor and safety. Wondering if that salmon is still OK, or if that Bush-era can of corn is edible?

Here are expiration guidelines for 5 major food categories, along with a breakdown of what their labels really mean.

1. Steak, veal, pork and lamb (keeps for 3-5 days in the refrigerator after purchase).

Ground beef (keeps for 1-2 days in the refrigerator after purchase).

Nothing's more worrisome than fresh meat – and for good reason. It spoils quickly and no one wants to spend the night hugging the toilet.Meat is likely to have a "use or freeze by" or "best if used by" package label, which lists the last date recommended by packagers or grocers for eating at peak quality, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Often, you can still use the meat after that date, though it may not taste as good.

But label dates won't help you with a more important consideration: meat safety.

"Growth of bacteria is the main concern about the shelf life of meat and fish," Labuza says.

When meat is improperly stored, "the number of bacteria doubles every 15-20 minutes," he says. "You start with 10,000 bacteria per square centimeter on the surface and get to a million rather quickly. At that number, if you eat it, you throw up."

The rate of decay depends on the amount of moisture meat is exposed to (less is better) and the temperature at which it's stored. That's why you shouldn't leave raw meat out of the refrigerator or wait too long to consume it.

"The cooler you keep it, the longer it lasts," Labuza says.

All meat should be stored below 40°, but Labuza keeps his in a separate garage refrigerator set at 32° so it easily outlasts the expiration date by several days, he says.

As a general rule, refrigerated meat should be cooked within a few days of purchase.

The exception is ground meat, which has a shorter shelf life and should be stored for only 1-2 days.

It's more easily contaminated by harmful bacteria such as E. coli and Listeria monocytogenes during processing – so even if it's fresh, you need to cook it to an internal temperature of 160° to avoid illness, according to the USDA.

And remember, Goldberg warns: "If you keep raw meat in your car while riding around doing errands, it spoils even faster."You'll know if meat has gone bad by an unmistakable vinegar or ammonia odor.

It may also be slimy and the color may have started to fade.

Frozen foods remain safe indefinitely, but can lose quality over time, according to the USDA.

Uncooked roasts, steaks and chops last 4-12 months, uncooked ground meat is good for 3-4 months, and bacon and sausage can be frozen for 1-2 months.

2. Raw poultry (keeps for 1-2 days in the refrigerator after purchase).

This bird should fly off store shelves promptly, experts say.

"Chicken spoils quickly," Goldberg explains.

Bacteria such as salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, Campylobacter jejuni and Listeria thrive on raw or undercooked chicken, multiplying quickly at temperatures higher than 40°.

Only cooking (to 160° all the way through) can kill them.

Although not federally required, many stores voluntarily provide sell-by dates on poultry, after which they'll remove it from shelves.

But whatever that date says, you should use or freeze it within two days of purchase.

If you purchase a warm, roasted chicken from a market or food chain, make sure it's hot when you buy it and use within two hours.

Otherwise, cut it into pieces and refrigerate it in shallow, covered containers that don't leave much space for air; then eat it within 3-4 days.

In the freezer, uncooked poultry lasts 9-12 months. But while freezing can stop further contamination, it won't kill bacteria that's already there.

That's one reason to defrost frozen poultry in the refrigerator, Goldberg says: "Bacteria grow fast on the outside of the chicken or turkey, even when it's frozen on the inside." 3. Fish (refrigerate for 1-2 days after purchase; store frozen for 3-8 months).

Shellfish (refrigerate for 1-2 days; store frozen for 3-12 months).

Fish and shellfish leftovers (refrigerate for 3-4 days; store frozen for 3 months).

Raw fish, like meat and poultry, often has a use by date on the package label, and you shouldn't ignore it because "fish has a short shelf life," Labuza says.

But you shouldn't depend only on that date either.

Use your nose – smell that salmon before you grill or bake it.

You'll know it has gone bad if it produces a strong fish odor and turns brown or gray around the edges.

Fresh fish springs back when you press it; spoiled fish is mushy.

3. Dairy products (usage depends on the product and the geographical state in which it's sold).

The federal government has no requirements for milk, yogurt, cheese and other dairy foods. About 20 states impose their own labeling rules.

Pasteurized milk, if stored in your refrigerator at the right temperature (below 40°) immediately after purchase, can last 3-7 days after the "sell-by" date. But there's no guarantee – and it sometimes starts to smell before the expiration date, Goldberg says.

If it's left out at a temperature above 40°, it can go sour fast.

No matter when you bought it, if it smells bad, toss it, Goldberg says.What about cheese?

Hard varieties, such as Swiss, cheddar or blue, are good for up to six months after their sell-by dates. Cream cheese lasts about two weeks.

If there's a little mold on the outside of a block of hard cheese, you don't have to trash it.

Save money by scraping it away (about 1/8th of an inch deep) and enjoying the rest.

4. Eggs (store in the refrigerator 3-5 weeks after purchase).

Fresh eggs have a long shelf life, as long as you refrigerate them quickly. Expiration or sell by dates are sometimes state-required, and USDA-graded eggs (AA, A or B) will display a pack date (the day the eggs were washed, graded and placed in the carton).

A while after the expiration date, the yolk may not stand at attention when you crack it open, but it's still safe to eat, experts say.

"I've used eggs two months past the date on the carton," Labuza says. "Just be sure to keep them cold."

Egg shells are porous, so as moisture leaks out of them, the quality diminishes, Goldberg says.

To help prevent this, she recommends storing them in the carton.

Throw away a cracked egg if you don't know how it happened. If you're the culprit, store the egg in a container, then use it in a baked recipe within a couple of days.Hard-boiled eggs that are cooled before storing in the refrigerator last up to a week, according to the American Egg Board.

But discard them if the shell color changes or feels slimy.

5. Canned, jarred and packaged foods (keep up to five years at room temperature).
Canned foods often are your safest food bet. They'll last as long as five years past the "pack date" (usually printed as a code on the bottom), if your pantry is cool enough – ideally about 50°-70°, according to Texas A&M University.

(Hint: Don't put your pantry next to your oven, or even the refrigerator – it throws off a lot of heat.)

"I found a can of chicken in my pantry that was seven years old, and it was great," Labuza says. "But another time I opened a can of condensed milk – not that old – and it was a solid brown gel. I dumped it."

Foods with a high acid content, such as tomatoes and pineapple, don't last as long.

Use them within 12-18 months of the pack date.

If a can is sharply dented – or, especially, if it bulges outward – toss it immediately because there's a good chance it has been infected with botulism, a potentially life-threatening bacteria.Dry packaged foods also stay fresh a long time if they're packed and stored well and aren't exposed to moisture. For example, canned Pringles potato chips can last "2 or 2-1/2 years," Labuza says.

Pasta and rice maintain their taste for about a year. Unopened bags of cookies are good for a few months.

Label Language
Confused by the language of food dates? This guide breaks down the codes:

•"Sell by" date: Used by manufacturers to remind grocers when to remove products from shelves.

•"Best if used by" or "Use by" date: Refers to the flavor or quality, not food safety. Past that date, the taste and nutrient content may have diminished, but it may still be edible.

(Note: The use by date on infant formula and some baby food is set by the federal government and refers to the period in which the product must contain the full amount of nutrients described on the label.)

•"Expires by" or "Expiration date": You should throw the product out past that date. No wiggle room.

•"Pack date": A code on cans and boxed foods indicating when the product was packed. It can be hard to decipher, but you can usually at least pick out a year.

Take Action:

  • Boycott Bill O'Reilly and FOX News and their advertisers. Bill discussed a French commercial by McDonalds that was meant to show that McDonalds is Gay Friendly. Bill said what is next? Is McDonalds going to be Al-Qaida friendly as well? Imagine - Bill O'Reilly compares Gays to Al-Qaida! Further, Boycott Fox's Owner "Rupert Murcoch" and get him thrown in jail for illegal - political donations, corruption, greed, bribery, hacking!
  • Boycott Target, Best Buy, Gold's Gym - for donating money towards anti-gay political candidates/organizations. Update: (12/26/2010): Target is continuing to donate to anti-gay groups/causes/politicians. Update 03/08/11 - Lady Gaga Ends Target Partnership, Reportedly Over Target's Poor LGBT Stance. Update 3/25/2010 - Target displays their hypocrisy and Sues California Gay Rights Group for Lobbying Outside Stores. Target is attempting to block the LGBT right of free speech! STOP SHOPPING AT TARGET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Update 4/8/2011: Target lost its case to stop the LGBT from canvassing in front of their stores. A huge PR Disaster for TARGET! Perhaps Target should go out of business as they betrayed their investers and customer base. Target contributed massive funds to a politician who would like to exterminate gays. Now, Target can not stop us from Boycotting them, nor picketing, nor talking to customers near their stores; although, Target allows a anti-gay company such as the Salvation Army to stand outside their door and speak with customers and raise money. Isn't this a double standard?
  • End DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act). Prevents Federal employees and Gays in the Military from gaining equal benefits. Prevents Gay Partners from gaining equal benefits.
  • Pass a LGBT friendly ENDA (Employee Non-Discrimination Act). ENDA would prevent employment discrimination of LGBT workforce.
  • Boycott Salvation Army as they will not hire Gays! "DO NOT DONATE TO THEM."
  • BOYCOTT "Chick-fil-a" for donating money to anti-gay groups.
  • BOYCOTT KOCH INDUSTRIES PRODUCTS- to include their products: Angel Soft toilet paper / Brawny paper towels / Dixie plates, bowls, napkins & cups / Mardi Gras napkins and towels / Quilted Northern toilet paper / Soft 'n Gentle toilet paper / Sparkle napkins / Vanity fair napkins / Zee napkins / Georgia-Pacific paper products & envelopes / All Georgia-Pacific lumber & building products (INVISTA Products) / Lycra / Stainmaster Carpet. The billionaire - Koch brothers are ultra republican - tea bag founders/supporters that do not support causes of the LGBT community.
  • Boycott WALMART - The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force criticized Wal-Mart for denying employee benefits to same-s-x partners and for failing to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity. By comparison, the group said two other chain stores with a strong presence in New York, Costco and Walgreens, did much better.
  • "Tune Out Trump", Boycott all Trump Hotel, casinos, holdings, The Apprentice and NBC Network! At CPAC, Trump said he is considering a run for president as a Republican. In a interview with the Des Moines Register, Trump added that he opposes all forms of legal recognition for gay couples, not just marriage. "They should not be able to marry," he said. So why does NBC keep the Apprentice when Donald Trump has stated he may run for president? After making racist remarks about Obama and recv'g public backlash, Trump decided not to run for president after NBC renewed his awful TV Show. How can NBC re-new the clown's show after he pulled such hateful shenanigans?
  • Boycott Georgia for Execution of Troy Davis @ 11:08 EST, Sep 21, 2011:
    Former US President and Former GA Gov. Jimmy Carter felt that TROY DAVIS should not be executed and deserved a re-trial. The Former Director of the FBI felt that TROY DAVIS Was Not Guilty! Do not drive through Goergia as it is dangerous. Do not fly via Atlanta. For your safety -Do not travel to GA. TELL YOUR COMPANY NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CONVENTION IN GA! "Georgia Executes Innocent People!"

And Now, Our War of the Fittest!

This group is called "Peckers Pics." The English - slang definition of "pecker" is to pluck at the truth. Therefore, we peck at items such as Gay Men's Health, Male Fitness, Gay (LGBT) Politics & Issues. In this section you may peck at each photo in order to decide the winner of the "war of the fittest!" Whereas, you should select the "Male Model" that may inspire you to exercise and "get fit!" Warning: This may stoke you!
Your participation in discussion of health / news articles - appearing in this message is greatly appreciated.
Colton Haynes
 
VS
EDILSON NASCIMENTO
 
You Decide!
Santa Speedo Run; Boston; Dec 10, 2011
Stoked?
Santa Speedo Run; Boston; Dec 10, 2011
Elizabeth Warren Comes Out For Full Equality For LGBT People
By Igor Volsky on Dec 15, 2011 / Think Progress

Elizabeth Warren -- who is challenging Scott Brown's (R-MA) senate seat in Massachusetts - is reiterating her support for same-sex marriage and greater equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the workplace. Warren also joined the growing list of lawmakers calling for the repeal of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which prevents the federal government from recognizing married gay couples and offering them federal benefits:

I'm deeply proud to be from Massachusetts because the Commonwealth has been the nation's leader in protecting and promoting equality - from marriage equality to the recently passed Transgender Equal Rights Bill. Congress and the President have also recently taken historic steps forward in promoting the cause of fairness and equality: the passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hates Crimes Prevention Act and - after years of effort - the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." [...]

As other states grapple with whether to support marriage equality, I'm ready to move to the next step: End the two-tiered system created by the Defense of Marriage Act. Our federal government should not be in the business of selecting which married couples it supports and which it treats with contempt. States define marriage among couples, and, once married, all those couples and their families should have the same protections, the same benefits, and the same tax treatments. Fairness and equality are foundational values in our country, and nowhere is that more important than in our families.

In the workplace, people should be hired for what they can do and evaluated on their performance - period. I strongly support the fully inclusive Employee Non-Discrimination Act. Particularly in these uncertain times, people must have confidence that they will be judged on the merits. Again, this speaks to the fairness and equality that mark us as a people.

Brown, who has been playing up his LGBT record ahead of the election has little to be proud off. While the Senator ultimately vote to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell, he had initially opposed the process of attaching an amendment to the defense authorization bill. Brown also opposes marriage equality, the right of gays and lesbians to adopt children, federal protections for LGBT people in the workplace, and has even refused to participate in an "It Gets Better" video with the rest of the Massachusetts congressional delegation.

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2011/12/15/390315/elizabeth-warren-comes-out-for-full-equality-for-lgbt-people/
Every gay and lesbian person who has been lucky enough to survive the turmoil of growing up is a survivor. Survivors always have an obligation to those who will face the same challenges."

....Jake
 
Important Notice: Our ObamaBiden2008 Group works hand - in - hand with Peckers PICS (Both groups were co-created to work with each-other). To prevent duplication of articles and questions, all members of this group are urgently recommended to join ObamaBiden2008. We have the LGBT boycott list and discuss end of DADT, etc... There are 3 gay teen suicides in the USA - daily! There are Hate crimes against gay people. There are gay people who are fired over their sexual identity. There are gay people who died for our cause! These groups are focused towards Yahoo Members who sincerely care about LGBT rights and are interested in Gay Mens Health! Most important, we have a most critical election in 2012 that shall determine the future of LGBT rights and our health care (as many suffer from pre-existing illness)! Please Join Now!
 
Pass This Bill! - Occupy Wall Street!
 
Proposed Petition for Redress and Pledge of Action

By Bear

[Side Note: Originally placed on Facebook, November 19, 2011]

[Side Note: Catalyst for Petition: Occupy Wall Street, Action
Required by 99%]

In 1776, representatives of the residents in thirteen North
American colonies adopted a Declaration of Independence that
set forth the philosophical principles behind their recent
and future actions, their grievances against King George III
of Great Britain, and the redress they sought. The Declaration
famously illuminated the unalienable rights of life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness held by all women and men. The
writer of the Declaration substituted "pursuit of happiness"
for "property" found in earlier formulations of enumerated
natural rights, considering property to be a creation of humans
that is valued, protected, and used but not intrinsic to human
endeavor.

After struggle, victory, and peace, representatives of the
citizens of the thirteen sovereign, independent states established
from initial trial and error, through debate and consensus a
new form of government of, by, and for the people. That
government has withstood invasion, wars of expansion, defense,
principle, ideology and questionable motive, economic
transformations, immigration of individuals from every part
of the world, cultural awakenings, social unrest and political
corruption, assassinations, and a great conflagration that
soaked this country's fields with blood from self-inflicted
wounds and tore the fabric of its shared civic culture. That
government has evolved as its creators intended to meet new
challenges and provided infrastructure, regulations, and
services as the need arose. That government remains a beacon
of hope for all human beings seeking democratic, representative,
responsible, humane, and limited rule over their affairs.

Today, many citizens of the United States of America fear their
government has become a creature of the wealthy, the corporations
from which the wealthy derive their resources, and the politicians
driven to act in the interests of those corporations due to
their need for funds to fuel their endless campaigns to stay in
office. Some of those citizens have made their concerns known
by occupying parks, streets, and public areas in the cities and
other locations around this country. These peaceful groups have
called upon the one percent that wields power through wealth and
elected office to return the government, its policies, laws,
regulations, and justice to the ninety-nine percent that have
the capacity to fuel the economy, generate jobs, mobilize society,
and move forward but are starved of the resources to do so. They
seek change.

As the colonial representatives knew two hundred thirty-five
years ago, great change must be founded on rational principles
soundly developed from evidence, facts, and natural law. Such
are the times now that some choose to twist, dissect, or profane
the principles supporting change out of fear, ignorance, or
self-interest. Nonetheless, the foundations for change are
present for all to see. The evidence is clear.

We truly are created equal, endowed with certain rights, among
which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We all
require and are entitled to consistent shelter, social and
familial companionship, wellness and good health, education to
our potential, full and complete nourishment, adequate clothing,
employment of our skills and knowledge, and safety from harm.
We build communities. We support our brothers and sisters
regardless of skin color, religion, ability, belief, condition,
sex, attribute, or characteristic. We treat one another with
respect and dignity. We are a diverse, compassionate nation of
free individuals.

The ninety-nine percent are held back by the actions and whims
of the one percent. Witness the facts: the wealthy have steadily
increased their share of the nation's wealth at the expense of
the poor and middle classes; politicians have pledged to enact
no taxes despite the necessity for revenues to meet the needs
of the people and revitalize our nation's infrastructure;
corporations have been deemed persons with political rights,
allowing these corporations to support candidates and political
causes financially, thereby drowning out the voices of voters;
elected officials have engaged the nation in lengthy, unwarranted
wars that have sapped the economy, killed and harmed tens of
thousands of people, and invoked ill feelings abroad; state
legislators and governors have used the narrow tenets of religion
as the sole basis for laws that restrict the exercise of
fundamental human rights by all; politicians have set out
arbitrary and selfish requirements prior to debate on issues
that require negotiation and consensus; companies, business
groups, and single-issue interests have used their resources
to influence and shape legislation and regulations for their
limited benefit, squeezing out the common good; representatives
have conducted inquiries and provided earmarked funds for their
own self promotion; laws have been passed to address issues
that do not actually exist and other laws have not been taken
up that would address pressing concerns, all for partisan gain;
the judiciary has become suspect of issuing opinions based on
ideology and party affiliation rather than the law and common
sense; financiers and investors have used the markets and banks
with little oversight and adjustable scruples to speculate,
profit, and gain without adding real value to the economy; many
news media businesses have adopted clear ideological perspectives
while continuing to claim the mantle of unbiased journalism; the
United States Senate has adopted rules that require almost all
legislation to find support from many more than half plus one
members of the chamber, making a mockery of the idea of unlimited
debate established by the nation's founders; and candidates for
public office have created the endless election cycle in their
quest to hold onto their offices once acquired.

These are reasons for deep concern regarding the future of this
nation. Their mitigation and elimination require substantial
action. Citizens that have occupied Wall Street, Oakland, the
tundra, Albany, and other places have taken the first step in
calling attention to the plight of the ninety-nine percent and
the power of the one percent. This petition is the next. We seek
redress of our grievances from the government, the wealthy, and
the corporations. We seek the resources to take action to correct
the deficiencies that have arisen in this country. We seek the
means to rebuild our communities and the support to fulfill our
essential needs. We seek dignity and honor from our labors. We
seek peace, security, and fulfillment. In return, we offer action.
We offer involvement in our cities, towns, and villages. We offer
engagement with those that need. We offer ourselves to the
betterment of our country and the future. We offer participation
in civic culture as a defense against the weaknesses of apathy
and self-absorption. We offer to be active, American citizens.

Bear – 8 November 2011
 
Sign Petition @
https://www.change.org/petitions/the-proposed-petition-for-redress-and-pledge-of-action
 
Discuss Petition @ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Occupy_Wall_Street/join
 
 

__._,_.___


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Thank you!
 

"Every gay and lesbian person who has been lucky enough to survive the turmoil of growing up is a survivor. Survivors always have an obligation to those who will face the same challenges."

...Jake (Moderator)



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