1 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to food Stuff. I'm Lauren Vogelba and 2 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 1: I'm Annie Reese, and today we're talking about expiration dates 3 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 1: and food safety. Yes, and there's a lot of confusion 4 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 1: and food waste generated by these things. So this episode 5 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: of food Stuff is best if enjoyed immediately. Do you 6 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:27,920 Speaker 1: see what I did there? I do and and and 7 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 1: by by the way, if if you think that this 8 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 1: sounds like the most boring topic ever possible, hey, it's 9 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 1: very practical and be we talk a lot about about 10 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:40,320 Speaker 1: gangsters in it, so it is a lot more fascinating 11 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 1: than even I or Lauren. Y. Yeah, I thought it 12 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:49,600 Speaker 1: was just gonna be like there's some confusion. Nope, nope, nope, gangsters. Yes, 13 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:53,520 Speaker 1: So let's start with what they are. Expiation dates are 14 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: dates weird, I know, printed on the packaging of food 15 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:00,480 Speaker 1: or drink that are the date rick and ended by 16 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:04,960 Speaker 1: the manufacturer that you should consume the product by. Unlike 17 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 1: what most people assume most of the time, they don't 18 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:10,479 Speaker 1: have anything to do with food safety. Zero. Yeah. Nothing. 19 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:14,120 Speaker 1: The government, apart from a few cases, has nothing to 20 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 1: do with these dates. And we are talking about the 21 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 1: US federal government. By the way, they aren't regulated. The 22 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,160 Speaker 1: companies make them up. Yeah, Yeah, they're they're about They're 23 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:25,479 Speaker 1: about flavor and texture and enjoyment of the food more 24 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:31,400 Speaker 1: than food safety. You've got best buy used by and 25 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 1: this is a voluntary date provided by the manufacturers of 26 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 1: shelf stable products like peanut butter and mayonnaise. And like 27 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 1: Lauren said, it's more about like they want you to 28 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:42,880 Speaker 1: consume it when they think it's going to be the 29 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:46,560 Speaker 1: most flavorful or the best experience, or they want you 30 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:48,080 Speaker 1: to consume it more quickly or throw it away so 31 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:50,280 Speaker 1: you to buy more. I don't know how cynical you are, 32 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:52,040 Speaker 1: how you want to look at that, but yeah, it's 33 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 1: it's a color, texture, your taste, stuff like that. Yeah, 34 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 1: but it should be fine. It has nothing to do 35 00:01:57,200 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 1: with food safety as long as you've been storing it correctly. 36 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 1: You can totally eat something after a best buy or 37 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 1: used by date. Yes, um useful website. Shout out eat 38 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:11,240 Speaker 1: by date dot com. It just has like a general 39 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:15,360 Speaker 1: um not not looking at these dates, but in general 40 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:18,200 Speaker 1: how long foods will last. Yes, I thought it was 41 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 1: really useful. I could look up like beer and it 42 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 1: had all these dates. It was cool. Yeah, and there 43 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 1: are researchers out there who test the tastiness of food 44 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:30,119 Speaker 1: across its shelf life, by the way, like like real 45 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:32,679 Speaker 1: professionals in a lab, not like folks like me and 46 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 1: Annie who will just eat anything and report on it. No. 47 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 1: Research companies provide this as a service to food producers. 48 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:42,359 Speaker 1: They'll take a product and store it in varying conditions 49 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 1: like temperature and humunity and stuff, and then have a 50 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:49,640 Speaker 1: panel of expert tasters grade the product as time goes by. 51 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:52,359 Speaker 1: The producer of the food can then pick a cut 52 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 1: off point where when they think that the food is 53 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:57,560 Speaker 1: past its prime and well, you know, perhaps not help 54 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 1: their reputation as a food prod. Yes, I think this 55 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:03,800 Speaker 1: is a job that I would very much enjoy be 56 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:09,720 Speaker 1: very bad at, because I'm just like, that's fine, it's fine, basically, yeah, yeah, 57 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:13,359 Speaker 1: it's just yeah. Yeah. Apart from best buy used by 58 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:16,639 Speaker 1: you also have cell by date, and that is meant 59 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:18,840 Speaker 1: more as a guideline for grocery stores so they know 60 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:22,360 Speaker 1: how long to display a product. As a consumer, you 61 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 1: probably want to buy something before the cell by date, um, 62 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 1: but you can keep it at home past that date. Again, 63 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 1: as long as you store it safely in the amount 64 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: of time past the date depends on the product. See 65 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 1: earlier again eat by date dot com. Yes, Yes, UM 66 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 1: expires on. If you're thinking that you don't see that 67 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 1: one frequently, that's because you probably don't see it frequently. 68 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 1: It's not used frequently outside of baby formula UM and 69 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:53,280 Speaker 1: baby food some baby foods, which are the only things 70 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 1: in the US that the federal government actually regulates when 71 00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 1: it comes to these food dates. Yeah, baby foods are 72 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 1: treated differently because some of the nutrients, some nutrients and 73 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:05,640 Speaker 1: foods degrade over time and the government wanted to assure 74 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 1: parents that their kids are getting no less than the 75 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 1: amount of nutrients that are listed on these food labels. UM. Also, 76 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:14,720 Speaker 1: in the case of formula, the consistency could could change 77 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 1: over time, making it more difficult for the formula to 78 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 1: pass through a bottle, making it more difficult for the 79 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:22,480 Speaker 1: baby to get food. We all want babies to get food, yes, yes, 80 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:25,880 Speaker 1: And knowing the right amount of nutrients is very important 81 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 1: at that actually stage in life, very very much, very 82 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:32,480 Speaker 1: very much. UM. Some states, in particular New York surpoars 83 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 1: have their own regulations. That was no shade, good job 84 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 1: New York In some cases, two dates are printed on 85 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:44,359 Speaker 1: the product, both federal and state. UM. Eggs, milk, and 86 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 1: meats are the most common products to have state regulations. 87 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:50,919 Speaker 1: Makes sense, yep. You might also see packing codes, which 88 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:55,240 Speaker 1: usually appear as long strings of numbers and letters that 89 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 1: help and recall situations, primarily and for manufacturers and groceries 90 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 1: to know what they might want to rotate in terms 91 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 1: of products. Those are internal thing or like industry things 92 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:07,160 Speaker 1: that you don't worry if you've never been able to 93 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:09,880 Speaker 1: make sense of them. I haven't. Yeah, I try all 94 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 1: the time. It's not you. It's not you. It's on 95 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:14,120 Speaker 1: it's on purpose. It's not meant to make sense. I 96 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:18,360 Speaker 1: feel better about myself. I tell me too. Uh. The 97 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 1: UK's Waste and Resources Action Program reported that fort of 98 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:26,840 Speaker 1: consumers in the UK misunderstood the date labels, so we're 99 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 1: not alone on food products, and that up to of 100 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:34,160 Speaker 1: food waste can be linked to that misunderstanding. So it's 101 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 1: pretty big deal. But more on the food waste thing later. First, 102 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:40,560 Speaker 1: let's talk about how we got got here in the 103 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 1: first place. Yes, So, actually, expiration dates are kind of 104 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 1: new kids on the block. UM, and according to a 105 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:54,039 Speaker 1: popular theory, in the US. It started with al Capone. 106 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 1: Al Capone. Al Capone, a park ranger at Alcatraz, claim 107 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 1: that in the nineteen thirties, Capone and Capone told him 108 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:08,480 Speaker 1: this story. Uh lobbied for milk bottle dating to ensure 109 00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 1: the safety of the city's children. And that's a quote 110 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:13,840 Speaker 1: from the guard I'm going to guess most of our 111 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:17,160 Speaker 1: listeners are familiar with a caphone, probably, but if you aren't, 112 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:22,479 Speaker 1: here's a brief bio. Capone was a shall we say 113 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:25,000 Speaker 1: business man. Sure, that's a very polite way of putting it. 114 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:28,039 Speaker 1: It is based in Chicago, who made most of his 115 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 1: money selling alcohol illegally during Prohibition and was eventually caught 116 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 1: in sand Alcatraz. I didn't know this. He was caught 117 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 1: pro evading tax as he should have been paying on 118 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:43,320 Speaker 1: his alcohol sales, not the numerous violent crimes attributed to him. Man. Yeah. Also, 119 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 1: he opened the first Sup kitchen during the Great Depression. 120 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:50,760 Speaker 1: I have to revisit that. Yeah, Oh, absolutely yeah. In 121 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:53,880 Speaker 1: this version of the story, after a family member got 122 00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:56,679 Speaker 1: sick from drinking milk. A family member our friend story 123 00:06:56,760 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 1: is a little blurry on the details. Al Capone took 124 00:06:59,839 --> 00:07:04,359 Speaker 1: an interest in the dairy industry. Also, he kind of 125 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:08,159 Speaker 1: knew that eventually this alcohol thing, what's gonna what's gonna 126 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 1: run out, like like prohibition was going to end eventually, 127 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 1: and he wanted to backup plan exactly. He started lobbying 128 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 1: the Chicago City Council to put date stamps on milk, 129 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:21,600 Speaker 1: and his efforts paid off. A law was passed. Capone 130 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 1: and already bought up all the equipment needed to stamp 131 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 1: these dates on the packaging. Oh, I see, yes, as 132 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 1: a way to take over the dairy industry. Yeah. And 133 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 1: by the time Probison ended, he had trucks ready to 134 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 1: transport and distribute milk. He was prepared. That's so, that's 135 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 1: so clever. I have all of these liquid transportation trucks. Yes, wow, yes, 136 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 1: al Capone, I know and listen to this. At the time, 137 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:50,880 Speaker 1: the Deepster's Union required that only local milk could be 138 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:55,600 Speaker 1: transported by only union members. Capone, wanting to import cheaper 139 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 1: Wisconsin dairy and use cheaper non union members to transport it, 140 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 1: agedly kidnapped the union president and used the fifty thousand 141 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:06,840 Speaker 1: dollar ransom he got out of it to purchase milk 142 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 1: processor meadow More Dairies, wow. Yeah, which he gave as 143 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:14,440 Speaker 1: a gift to his attorney three months before he went 144 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:17,880 Speaker 1: to prison. See, he thought it was gonna be a 145 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:21,560 Speaker 1: boring old episode. I had no idea that kidnapping was 146 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:25,320 Speaker 1: going to enter the picture. I know. I in expiry dates, 147 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:30,880 Speaker 1: that's okay, and al Capone great, so great, So maybe 148 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:33,360 Speaker 1: possibly have him to thank for the dates on milk 149 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:39,160 Speaker 1: at least. Yeah. However, despite his impressive efforts, it wasn't 150 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:42,960 Speaker 1: really until the nineteen seventies. That are, until nineteen seventies, specifically, 151 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 1: the expiration dates really became a thing in the United 152 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 1: States on a larger level. Yes, as more and more 153 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:52,600 Speaker 1: of the food we were eating was packaged and perhaps 154 00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 1: we weren't really sure what was in it. We wanted 155 00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 1: to know that the ingredients and the things we were 156 00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:02,240 Speaker 1: putting in our bodies was safe and fresh. Weird yeah. Uh. 157 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 1: Nineteen survey of two fifty thousand consumers found that a 158 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:10,280 Speaker 1: majority wanted a dating system and named a dating system 159 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:13,960 Speaker 1: as the most useful indicator for freshness. So people are 160 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:18,280 Speaker 1: really pushing for this, yeah. Skipping ahead to the National 161 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:23,319 Speaker 1: Uniform Food Safety Labeling Act came before Congress, which called 162 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:26,480 Speaker 1: for both sell by and used by dates for quality, 163 00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:32,600 Speaker 1: safety and quote nutrient availability. I love that it failed, 164 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 1: as have five others like it, introduced between two thousand 165 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:39,880 Speaker 1: one and two nine. Interesting, so I know to kept 166 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:41,960 Speaker 1: running across. Our home state of Georgia is one of 167 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:48,199 Speaker 1: two states that requires dates on pre wrapped sandwiches. Yeah, 168 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:51,720 Speaker 1: that's such a specific things. I know it kept popping 169 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:55,760 Speaker 1: up all right, Go Georgia. Products like shell fish, milk, eggs, 170 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:59,360 Speaker 1: and anything labeled keep refrigerated are also required to have 171 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:05,240 Speaker 1: expression dates and are checked regularly by inspectors and quick note. 172 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:08,079 Speaker 1: In Europe, it's against the law not to have a 173 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:10,720 Speaker 1: sell by date. The history of this practice in Europe 174 00:10:10,760 --> 00:10:13,000 Speaker 1: is fairly short as well, and also kind of around 175 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:16,320 Speaker 1: the stay timeline. Mark and Spencer's originally started using it 176 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:18,720 Speaker 1: in their store room in the nineteen fifties, but it 177 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:22,080 Speaker 1: didn't appear on the shelves until nineteen seventy, and the 178 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:25,440 Speaker 1: term sell by came into use in nineteen seventy three. 179 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:28,880 Speaker 1: The company takes so much pride in this they actually 180 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:31,240 Speaker 1: used it as a selling point in an ad campaign 181 00:10:31,920 --> 00:10:35,120 Speaker 1: that they came up with the Yeah, that's great, I 182 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:37,880 Speaker 1: know you can find it online I mean, I guess 183 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:42,440 Speaker 1: it's a good bragging point, like like we're exacting, yeah, 184 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:46,440 Speaker 1: eat our food exactly. We've been We've been ahead of 185 00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:50,120 Speaker 1: the game on this, so you could trust us. Yes, okay. 186 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 1: So that's the short history of expiration dates in physically 187 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 1: the US and Europe. So let's look at the health 188 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:06,920 Speaker 1: and safety general rules. Yeah yeah, and gets more into 189 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 1: the into the food waste area of the conversation. But 190 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:13,719 Speaker 1: first let's take a quick break for a word from 191 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:27,640 Speaker 1: our sponsor, and we're back. Thank you sponsor, Yes, thank you. Okay. 192 00:11:28,040 --> 00:11:33,079 Speaker 1: So the marketing end of expiration dates aside, fresh foods 193 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:38,240 Speaker 1: will eventually spoil, yes, but by which I mean that 194 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:41,760 Speaker 1: microorganisms will start eating them if you do not. The 195 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:45,080 Speaker 1: mold and bacteria and yeasts that cause food to change 196 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:48,000 Speaker 1: color and scent over time. Not all of them are 197 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:51,840 Speaker 1: our path pathogenic, like not all of them are harmful. Um, 198 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:56,480 Speaker 1: but generally they do make food unpleasant. Yeah. Um, you 199 00:11:56,520 --> 00:12:00,240 Speaker 1: can prevent their growth by practicing safe food handling. What 200 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 1: I know, crazy stuff stuff like I mean and and 201 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:05,599 Speaker 1: and and. Part of this is going to sound a 202 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:08,880 Speaker 1: little bit like dub but but I think it's it's 203 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:11,800 Speaker 1: worthwhile for for everyone to remind themselves of these kind 204 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:15,200 Speaker 1: of practices every now and again. I agree. So, yeah, 205 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:18,280 Speaker 1: you know, put refrigerated and frozen foods in your cart 206 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:23,679 Speaker 1: last at the supermarket. UH, keep them cool during transport, 207 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 1: and get them into the fridge promptly once you're home. Meat, eggs, milk, 208 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:30,440 Speaker 1: and other things that spoil more easily should be kept 209 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:32,679 Speaker 1: in the coldest part of the fridge, away from the door, 210 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 1: towards the bottom and the back, because every time you 211 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:36,840 Speaker 1: open the door, you're letting a little bit of warm 212 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:39,640 Speaker 1: air in. So anything kept in the door specifically will 213 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:41,680 Speaker 1: get exposed to a little bit of a temperature flux. 214 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:43,800 Speaker 1: If you take stuff out of the fridge and then 215 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:45,840 Speaker 1: repackage it for any reason, like you know, maybe you 216 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 1: only cook two chicken thighs from a larger pack. Uh. 217 00:12:48,640 --> 00:12:50,439 Speaker 1: Make sure that your hands and anything else that they 218 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:54,160 Speaker 1: come into contact with are clean um and don't leave 219 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 1: things out of the fridge for longer than is necessary. 220 00:12:57,320 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 1: The United States Food Safety and Inspection Serve says that 221 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:03,960 Speaker 1: two hours at room temperature is the hard limit for 222 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:06,920 Speaker 1: fresh dairy and meat products like a milk or chicken salad, 223 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:09,559 Speaker 1: or like a cooked sausage or something like that. Wow, 224 00:13:09,640 --> 00:13:12,160 Speaker 1: I didn't realize there's a hard limit. This really puts 225 00:13:12,160 --> 00:13:17,080 Speaker 1: a damper on some barbecues. And I've been to Oh absolutely, yeah, 226 00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:21,480 Speaker 1: there's there's all kinds of food temperature regulation. Uh uh. 227 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:24,360 Speaker 1: I'll just try not to think about it too hard. 228 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:28,240 Speaker 1: Of course, even when you are careful, there are some 229 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:30,960 Speaker 1: food borne pathogens out there that can make you sick. 230 00:13:31,160 --> 00:13:34,640 Speaker 1: Um stuff that was introduced before or during the food's 231 00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:37,679 Speaker 1: original packaging. Um, Like like maybe the animal that your 232 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:40,240 Speaker 1: meat comes from could have been infected, or like we 233 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 1: particles of dirt could have gotten in at some point, 234 00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:44,920 Speaker 1: or maybe the soil that a vegetable was grown in 235 00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:50,080 Speaker 1: harbored some kind of bacteria or some other containment. Cooking 236 00:13:50,120 --> 00:13:52,720 Speaker 1: food to an appropriate temperature will generally get rid of 237 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:55,760 Speaker 1: this sort of thing. And you can check Google for 238 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 1: science science is the latest temperature recommendations for whatever specific 239 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:04,240 Speaker 1: food you're preparing or preparing to prepare. Uh. And and 240 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:06,560 Speaker 1: also just make sure that you don't cross contaminate, like 241 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:09,280 Speaker 1: a separate knives and cutting boards to handle things that 242 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:11,000 Speaker 1: are going to be cooked and things that are going 243 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:14,000 Speaker 1: to be eaten raw, your salads, anything like that, and 244 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:16,440 Speaker 1: and do wash your hands after handling raw meats and 245 00:14:16,480 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 1: eggs can't. Goods meanwhile, are basically safe forever as long 246 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:26,360 Speaker 1: as they're still sealed. Um. Dented cans are totally fine, um, 247 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 1: as long as the dent is not across the lid 248 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 1: seals or the side seam, which which can disrupt the seal. Uh. 249 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:36,480 Speaker 1: Do not eat from bloated cans, however. The bloat is 250 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:43,200 Speaker 1: caused by bacteria growing inside, which is both gross and gross. 251 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:46,200 Speaker 1: It reminds me of the last of us, the zombies. 252 00:14:46,240 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 1: The bloaters. They get really big because the bacteria inside. Oh, 253 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:54,960 Speaker 1: I totally put that out of my brain. But you're 254 00:14:55,000 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 1: completely correct. You're welcome, Lauren. Oh, thank you. Okay, but 255 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:05,720 Speaker 1: back to food after thinking about zombies. That's a regular 256 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:09,200 Speaker 1: podcast for us. Ah oh absolutely, okay. Alright. So so 257 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 1: when I said forever, I like really kind of meant forever. Um. 258 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:16,520 Speaker 1: There's one experiment in the nineteen seventies in which researchers 259 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:19,360 Speaker 1: opened up stuff like a like forty year old canned 260 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:23,160 Speaker 1: corn and hundred year old canned oysters, and they found 261 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:27,360 Speaker 1: that the foods inside looked and smelled basically like any 262 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 1: freshly canned counterpart that you might find on a store shelf. 263 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:33,960 Speaker 1: Analysis did find that that there were slightly lower levels 264 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:37,280 Speaker 1: of some nutrients like vitamin C. They didn't taste any 265 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 1: of them. Oh well that's impressive nonetheless, But yeah, in 266 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:49,840 Speaker 1: a in a zombie situation, yeah, can canned canids forever? Okay, yeah, 267 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:54,520 Speaker 1: um But speaking of science, yes, I did want to 268 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 1: put in that that food scientists have brought us a 269 00:15:56,680 --> 00:15:59,400 Speaker 1: lot of really incredible innovations over the past few a 270 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 1: few decades. You know, ingredients can be added to stuff 271 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:05,000 Speaker 1: like processed meats and cheeses to prevent them from spoiling. 272 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:09,800 Speaker 1: Fresh vegetables can be packed or stored in controlled atmosphere 273 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:13,160 Speaker 1: environments that prevent them from spoiling. Fresh meats can be 274 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:18,000 Speaker 1: similarly stored and packed. Um. And and those absorbent purge 275 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:22,440 Speaker 1: pads help prevent potentially contaminated juices from getting everywhere, cross 276 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:26,800 Speaker 1: contaminating your salad, all that unfun stuff. Um. Also fun 277 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:30,160 Speaker 1: thing that I did not know about those purge pads 278 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 1: that come in your packs of meat. Lots of big 279 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:37,240 Speaker 1: chain grocers put anti theft tags in those purge pads. 280 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:41,040 Speaker 1: They just sneak them right in there, so no more 281 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:48,240 Speaker 1: smuggling raw chicken out of Kroger Anny, Sorry, sorry about it. Well, 282 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:53,040 Speaker 1: how does it deactivate when you buy it? Like it? Yeah, 283 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:54,800 Speaker 1: when they when they scan it, it deactivates at the 284 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:57,240 Speaker 1: same time. I can't believe that I've never heard of it, 285 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:03,080 Speaker 1: So sneaky. All y'all meat smugglers, you have to have 286 00:17:03,160 --> 00:17:05,520 Speaker 1: to find a different, different and find a different racket. 287 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:13,320 Speaker 1: All right, Okay, So let's talk about food waste, right, Yes, 288 00:17:13,520 --> 00:17:16,919 Speaker 1: all of this confusion about expiration dates has led to 289 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:19,480 Speaker 1: both a lot of food waste and a lot of 290 00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 1: food born illness. Um. In general, American Americans throw away 291 00:17:26,320 --> 00:17:28,679 Speaker 1: of the stuff we buy without consuming it, which is 292 00:17:29,119 --> 00:17:34,160 Speaker 1: an insane number. Yeah. That short circuits the straight cat's brain. Yeah, 293 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:38,280 Speaker 1: Lauren and I are both stray cats, which anything. Yeah, 294 00:17:39,359 --> 00:17:41,320 Speaker 1: especially if it's free. If it's free, that's where we 295 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:44,919 Speaker 1: get in trouble. Yeah. Estimates, by the way, for the 296 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:48,720 Speaker 1: cost of this food amount to six to nine hundred 297 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:52,000 Speaker 1: dollars worth of food per household per year um. And 298 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:55,600 Speaker 1: it is a global problem. Worldwide's estimated that about one 299 00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:58,919 Speaker 1: point three billion metric tons of food go to waste 300 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 1: every year. Who uh. One study I read out of 301 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:07,600 Speaker 1: the UK CIRCA found that date confusion only accounted for 302 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:09,960 Speaker 1: one fifth of food waste, so it's certainly not the 303 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:13,720 Speaker 1: main culprit, but it is a pretty substantial part of 304 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:16,720 Speaker 1: the equation. UM, because I guess you could say that 305 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:20,000 Speaker 1: fear of expired food and poor planning is really a 306 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:22,400 Speaker 1: big part of the problem. UM accounts for a lot 307 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:26,360 Speaker 1: of food waste, so a better dating system could certainly help. 308 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:33,040 Speaker 1: According to a survey conducted by global public health organizations 309 00:18:33,080 --> 00:18:37,800 Speaker 1: in s F International, around of Americans keep products past 310 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:40,960 Speaker 1: their expiration date, which could maybe put them at risk 311 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:44,879 Speaker 1: for food born illness. On the other hand, the survey 312 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:48,600 Speaker 1: found throw food out based on the best to use 313 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:53,800 Speaker 1: by date yeah, and thirty six for the cell by dates, wow, 314 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:57,480 Speaker 1: when it's typically still safe for consumption, and that generates 315 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:00,240 Speaker 1: obviously a lot of food waste. Sixty four cent of 316 00:19:00,280 --> 00:19:03,359 Speaker 1: Americans and I have to stay including me until I 317 00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:07,000 Speaker 1: did this, uh say, they rely on their senses, but 318 00:19:07,080 --> 00:19:10,480 Speaker 1: it's it's a good old sniff if it smells okay, Okay, 319 00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:14,960 Speaker 1: it's probably fine. But according to the survey, uh well, 320 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:17,720 Speaker 1: the scientists who authored the survey, the germs that cause 321 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:21,280 Speaker 1: most food born illness can't be detected via site or smell. 322 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:26,399 Speaker 1: The UK study I mentioned earlier found that looking or 323 00:19:26,440 --> 00:19:30,440 Speaker 1: smelling off quote was the number one reason respondents gay 324 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:36,119 Speaker 1: for tossing food. So the report also found that of 325 00:19:36,119 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 1: the respondents avoid eating at other people's, including friends homes, 326 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:43,920 Speaker 1: due to food safety concerns, which that kind of made 327 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:46,720 Speaker 1: me giggle. Yeah, we we all have that friend, right, 328 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:49,680 Speaker 1: I have one person in mind right now. I would 329 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:51,640 Speaker 1: still eat the food, but I would be very like 330 00:19:53,119 --> 00:19:56,040 Speaker 1: delicate and cautious about it. I would take my time. 331 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:04,320 Speaker 1: A National Resource Defense Counsel survey referenced in Time magazine 332 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:07,359 Speaker 1: reported an even higher number of food waste, writing that 333 00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:11,760 Speaker 1: nine of Americans throughout perfectly good food, and that is 334 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:15,560 Speaker 1: much of of our food supply is discarded uneaten every year. 335 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:17,639 Speaker 1: I think the difference in the number there is that 336 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:22,159 Speaker 1: they included farms and grocery stores. Where is the study 337 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:25,440 Speaker 1: I previously mentioned only focus on the consumers. This equates 338 00:20:25,440 --> 00:20:28,439 Speaker 1: to billions of pounds of food, about twenty per person 339 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:33,399 Speaker 1: a month lost of of fresh water used to grow 340 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:36,720 Speaker 1: or just get these food items to the store to 341 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 1: your plate, and one hundred sixty five billion dollars per year. 342 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 1: According to this, rotting food also accounts for t of 343 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:52,240 Speaker 1: America's methane emissions food rotting in landfills. Yeah. Throwing away 344 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:55,160 Speaker 1: out of date food is estimated to cost grocery stores 345 00:20:55,240 --> 00:21:00,560 Speaker 1: two thousand, three hundred a day dollars used dollars a day. Yeah. However, 346 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:05,000 Speaker 1: not all post dated food goes to waste. Some can 347 00:21:05,040 --> 00:21:08,560 Speaker 1: be given to charity, depending on local laws or shelters, 348 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:13,000 Speaker 1: food banks, stuff like that. Um. Some food that's past 349 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:16,240 Speaker 1: its date goes to salvage grocers and discount stores, which 350 00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:18,879 Speaker 1: are places itself food a little closer to the end 351 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:22,080 Speaker 1: of its life for lower prices. Um. Some goes to 352 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:25,280 Speaker 1: grocery actions. Grocery actions which I had never heard was 353 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:27,120 Speaker 1: a thing, But it's totally a thing, like you can 354 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:31,760 Speaker 1: buy kind of in bulk. Uh. This like slightly expired, 355 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:35,760 Speaker 1: like like past sell by date foods in auction format. 356 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:38,520 Speaker 1: I gotta look into the I know. Um. Some even 357 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:43,280 Speaker 1: goes to exclusively past date grocery markets. Um. For for example, 358 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:45,480 Speaker 1: the guy who founded Trader Joe's opened one of these 359 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:49,920 Speaker 1: in Boston, and there was one opened in Copenhagen in Denmark. 360 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:54,000 Speaker 1: These are places itself, exclusively stuff that's past its cell 361 00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:57,879 Speaker 1: by date but still is wholesome and you know, right, 362 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:02,119 Speaker 1: probably what make you sick, Yes, and equal chance with 363 00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:06,199 Speaker 1: anything else. I know. John Oliver did a piece on 364 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:11,760 Speaker 1: this on food waste recently, and that he talked about 365 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:13,439 Speaker 1: how there are a lot of laws and in the 366 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:15,960 Speaker 1: US in particular, that make it very difficult to donate 367 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:21,040 Speaker 1: food um, which is very very frustrating. Yes, so I 368 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:24,440 Speaker 1: guess we'll we'll come back to that din and a 369 00:22:24,440 --> 00:22:28,240 Speaker 1: whole other upsetting, depressing episode. We haven't had a really 370 00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:31,760 Speaker 1: depressing one yeah lately though, so do so. Yeah. Okay, 371 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:36,800 Speaker 1: So that's a look at the food waste that is 372 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:40,800 Speaker 1: generated in part due to confusion and fear kind of 373 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:45,920 Speaker 1: surrounding expiration dates and are misunderstanding of them. So let's 374 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:47,680 Speaker 1: take a quick break. But when we get back, we'll 375 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:52,480 Speaker 1: talk about the future. Yes, possible solutions, Yes, but right 376 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:54,240 Speaker 1: after a quick break from a word from our sponsor, 377 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:07,840 Speaker 1: and we're back. Thank you sponsor, Yes, thank you. So. 378 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:13,199 Speaker 1: Last year, Congress introduced the Food Date Labeling Act of 379 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:17,600 Speaker 1: in an attempt to standardize the date labels, primarily to 380 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:20,959 Speaker 1: better communicate when a little wiggle room is okay and 381 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:24,880 Speaker 1: when it absolutely isn't. A study in the UK came 382 00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:28,280 Speaker 1: to the conclusion that clarity and labeling could reduce food 383 00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:32,680 Speaker 1: waste by and if if you're thinking, well, UK keeps 384 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:34,600 Speaker 1: going up a lot here. They've done a lot to 385 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:37,520 Speaker 1: try to fix this and they were one of the 386 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:41,280 Speaker 1: first at least that I could find studies countries that did, 387 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:46,560 Speaker 1: like massive study on it and the problems it caused 388 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:50,280 Speaker 1: and food waste. Also in the U s d A 389 00:23:50,520 --> 00:23:54,359 Speaker 1: distributed a document suggesting companies simply used the single label 390 00:23:54,920 --> 00:24:00,760 Speaker 1: best if used by and in the Food Marketing Institute 391 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:06,199 Speaker 1: and the Grocery Manufacturers Association are advising the majority of 392 00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:10,879 Speaker 1: food manufacturers or retailers that fall under their joint umbrella 393 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:14,679 Speaker 1: to replace the current dates with these two best if 394 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:18,719 Speaker 1: used by for most foods and used by for products 395 00:24:18,760 --> 00:24:24,240 Speaker 1: that potentially become less safe with age. Yeah, that is clear. Yeah, um. 396 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:29,720 Speaker 1: And in twelve the European Parliament pledged to reduce food 397 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:34,320 Speaker 1: waste by by and a part of their ways they 398 00:24:34,359 --> 00:24:37,000 Speaker 1: were going to achieve this was by better clarity in 399 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:43,600 Speaker 1: the expression date. Huh yeah, so so yeah, I hope that, um, 400 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 1: I hope that some of these measures wind up getting 401 00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:51,520 Speaker 1: getting through and be better affecting food safety and and 402 00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:55,240 Speaker 1: uh reducing food waste for all of us. I agree, 403 00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:59,720 Speaker 1: and I have to say, uh, this episode was very 404 00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:02,199 Speaker 1: help for for me to research because I have always 405 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:07,600 Speaker 1: kind of been confused about what exactly that date meant, 406 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:10,879 Speaker 1: Like could I eat it fast? Yeah? And see above 407 00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:14,360 Speaker 1: restray cat. My answer was usually just like, it's probably fine, yes, 408 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:17,000 Speaker 1: mine too. If my stomach is a little upset tomorrow, 409 00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:20,639 Speaker 1: I can know. But this, this, this brings us to 410 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:27,320 Speaker 1: our listener mail. Yes, listener Mail, Brittany wrote in response 411 00:25:27,359 --> 00:25:31,960 Speaker 1: to our Tofu episode. While listening to your most recent episode, 412 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:34,560 Speaker 1: I was reminded of one of my first interactions with 413 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:38,520 Speaker 1: Tofu as a freshman in college. The anecdote will require 414 00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:40,920 Speaker 1: a little backstory, so please bear with me. I grew 415 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:43,720 Speaker 1: up in a small Midwest farming community where both my 416 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:47,239 Speaker 1: parents and grandparents had farms. On both our farms, we 417 00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:50,960 Speaker 1: rotated between growing corn and soybeans for use in livestock feed. 418 00:25:51,800 --> 00:25:54,439 Speaker 1: In our family, there was a very clear distinction between 419 00:25:54,520 --> 00:25:57,359 Speaker 1: corn for animal consumption, like the kind we grew in 420 00:25:57,440 --> 00:26:00,280 Speaker 1: mass and corn for humans, which my grandmother grew in 421 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:03,760 Speaker 1: her garden you did not eat the corn in the fields. 422 00:26:04,200 --> 00:26:06,359 Speaker 1: Looking back, it probably had to do with the pesticides 423 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:09,320 Speaker 1: we used. And I always assumed that you shouldn't eat 424 00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:13,040 Speaker 1: the soybeans either, Since my grandmother didn't grow soybeans in 425 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:15,639 Speaker 1: her garden. I just figured that soybeans weren't good for 426 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:18,600 Speaker 1: humans at all. So fast forward to me as a 427 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:21,760 Speaker 1: freshman in college, eating tofu with my new West Coast 428 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:24,840 Speaker 1: roommate and her telling me that it was made from soybeans. 429 00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:28,200 Speaker 1: My face went white and I spent my whole bite 430 00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:31,080 Speaker 1: out of my mouth, convinced we were both poisoning ourselves. 431 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:34,719 Speaker 1: Once she stopped laughing at me, she explained that we 432 00:26:34,720 --> 00:26:39,160 Speaker 1: were fine, but I never lived it down. I love 433 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:43,399 Speaker 1: that story. That's so funny. That's amazing. Yes, Also, Rosalind 434 00:26:43,480 --> 00:26:46,399 Speaker 1: sent us this after our sour dough episode. A past 435 00:26:46,440 --> 00:26:48,880 Speaker 1: roommate started a sour dough with the flour and water 436 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:50,920 Speaker 1: in a bowl method and passed it my way when 437 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:53,840 Speaker 1: she was moving out three years ago. In my experience 438 00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:56,760 Speaker 1: with it since then, I've come across a cookbook noting 439 00:26:56,880 --> 00:27:00,080 Speaker 1: that the container first starter should have breathe ability, as 440 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:03,000 Speaker 1: such as a yogurt container or a ceramic crack because 441 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:05,720 Speaker 1: the gas produced from the bacteria can be put under 442 00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:09,000 Speaker 1: pressure from a tight fitting lid. Uh. This in turn 443 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:11,639 Speaker 1: can lead to the cracking of the container or a 444 00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:15,760 Speaker 1: small explosion if left long enough. He gave for bacteria poop, 445 00:27:15,840 --> 00:27:19,200 Speaker 1: maybe exploding another food item that we need to worry 446 00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:22,560 Speaker 1: about exploding. Yes, I'm learning so much. I love. I 447 00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:25,200 Speaker 1: love how many of your of your letters y'all are 448 00:27:25,640 --> 00:27:29,679 Speaker 1: about explosion, about food explosions. It's excellent. Yes, we also 449 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:34,160 Speaker 1: received a delightful package. Oh my goodness. Okay, so so 450 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:38,399 Speaker 1: in our episode about graham crackers, we mentioned that graham 451 00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:41,879 Speaker 1: flower is in fact available from from several producers, one 452 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:45,080 Speaker 1: of them being Bob's Redmill. And as it turns out, 453 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:48,959 Speaker 1: we have a listener at Bob's Redmill who was psyched 454 00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:51,800 Speaker 1: about this because she sent us this huge, like care 455 00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:55,880 Speaker 1: package gift bag, yes, of like stuff to make graham 456 00:27:55,920 --> 00:27:58,800 Speaker 1: crackers with. Yes, And when I opened it, I didn't 457 00:27:58,840 --> 00:28:00,720 Speaker 1: I hadn't read the letter yet, and all I saw 458 00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:04,280 Speaker 1: was like a lot of packages of graham flower. And 459 00:28:04,320 --> 00:28:08,000 Speaker 1: I just laughed because I didn't make it a secret 460 00:28:08,040 --> 00:28:11,720 Speaker 1: that I'm not exactly a fan of Dr Gram. It 461 00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:15,640 Speaker 1: was so great, enjoyed it. Yeah and so yeah, so 462 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:18,600 Speaker 1: so she she She wrote us a card um it says, uh, 463 00:28:18,800 --> 00:28:20,520 Speaker 1: Dear Annie and Lauren. I'm a big fan of the 464 00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:23,159 Speaker 1: show and really enjoyed the episode on Graham Crackers and 465 00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:27,119 Speaker 1: Dr Sylvester Graham. I've answered a lot of baking questions 466 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:29,600 Speaker 1: about Graham crackers and how to make them, though I 467 00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:32,720 Speaker 1: leave out the history because let people enjoy their Graham's. 468 00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:35,600 Speaker 1: I say thank you for the great show and enjoy 469 00:28:35,640 --> 00:28:39,280 Speaker 1: the Graham materials. Cheers, we will, and thank you very 470 00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:44,120 Speaker 1: much for Thank you, Sarah, Sarah yesh goodness. Yeah, and 471 00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:46,920 Speaker 1: and thank you also to Brittany and Rosalind. Thank you 472 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:50,560 Speaker 1: very much to our amazing producer who's name I'm remembering, 473 00:28:50,840 --> 00:28:56,520 Speaker 1: Alex Williams. She got it. Yeah, first try. By the way, 474 00:28:56,560 --> 00:28:58,080 Speaker 1: if you guys want to get in touch with us too, 475 00:28:58,160 --> 00:29:01,360 Speaker 1: you can totally do that thing. Our email is food 476 00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:04,560 Speaker 1: stuff at Housta fok dot com. We're also on social media. 477 00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:08,840 Speaker 1: We are at food stuff hs W on Twitter and Facebook. 478 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:12,400 Speaker 1: We're just plain old at food stuff on Instagram. Uh. 479 00:29:12,600 --> 00:29:16,000 Speaker 1: Come check us out, say hello, uh, and we hope 480 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:20,320 Speaker 1: that lots more good things are coming your way.