Check out the UC Food Blog

The UC Food Blog offers consumers a super-size menu of food-related topics like nutrition, food safety, vegetables, agritourism and just about everything you need to know about eating healthy and growing food in California.

Here are excerpts from recent blog postings.

What your taste buds tell you about extra virgin olive oil

"How can consumers be sure they are getting EVOO? Beginning Oct. 24, new U.S. Department of Agriculture standards took effect and legally define such terms as "U.S. extra virgin," "U.S. virgin" and "U.S. refined oil." Although the standards are voluntary, any manufacturer using this terminology on its label could be held to truth-in-labeling laws.

While the ultimate impact of the new USDA standards will take time, California consumers are lucky that years ago (2003) the California Olive Oil Council developed its own standard, signified by a certification seal."

Food, hand-washing and the ick factor

"Many years ago I got giardia, which laid me out for weeks, and my doctor and I determined that I probably got it from a food-service worker who did not wash hands properly. A big 'ick.' It was a real wake-up call about the need for hand-washing."

Read the complete posts and more at the UC Food Blog.