As I was thinking about my St. Patrick’s Day plans and wondering what type of food I could dye green to really mess with the heads of my party guests, I started questioning the safety of color additives — even those already found in my food, toothpaste, and favorite lipstick. Chances are, if you pick up any consumer product nearest you, you’ll see a combination of Yellow 6’s and Blue 1’s listed on the ingredient label. Is there any reason to be concerned about these seemingly innocent splashes of color?

Color additives used in the United States are regulated by law. The FDA must approve color additives found in food, dietary supplements, drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices. Action can be taken against companies that violate color additive regulations. However, the FDA warns consumers that “there is no such thing as absolute safety of any substance.”

Although color additives are found in a wide variety of products, a pigment approved for one intended use is not necessarily approved for other uses. In addition, color additives that are injected into the skin have never been approved, even though many tattoo parlors claim that their inks contain colors that are in compliance with FDA specifications. Similarly, permanent makeup and henna tattoos contain colors that are not FDA approved. However, these pigments are not necessarily dangerous.

Overall, there is probably no reason to be concerned about the green in your mouthwash or the red in your ketchup unless you are allergic to the additive. However, color additives sold or marketed outside of the United States are not subject to the same restrictions and regulations. Many imported cosmetics are detained due to color additive violations, so use caution when buying colorful beauty products abroad.

For more information on this, hit up the FDA source link below.

–Madelyn Tucker

Source: FDA.gov

It’s officially on. The Faberge Big Egg Hunt, which concludes Easter Sunday, has begun in London. Event organizers hope this holiday hunt will raise more than £2 million for the charities Action for Children and Elephant Family. What makes this hunt special is that the UK’s biggest and best artists have each designed one of the 200 giant eggs, which are scattered throughout the city. Each egg is equipped with a special numeric code which will be texted to the fundraisers’ egg hunt text line. First texts will cost the egg-hunter £3; all texts after that will cost 25 pence, with part of the proceeds going to support the two charities. In addition, once the hunt has concluded, the haute-couture eggs will go up for auction.

The real kicker is the grand prize. One lucky winner will be awarded the jewel-encrusted, golden Diamond Jubilee Egg, valued at more than £100K (FYI, each year of the Queen’s reign is represented with a gem on the egg). As for us here in the States, we’re just glad none of these eggs are subject to time/temperature control.

Click here to visit the Big Egg Hunt’s website. Click here to print off our Easter Egg food safety cartoon.

–Emilee Follett

Sources: thebigegghunt.co.uk, Action for Children, Elephant Family, thisislondon.co.uk, londonlovesbusiness.com, uk.news.yahoo.com

My two youngest children woke me up this morning. It was, of course, way too early. I helped them down stairs and turned on Sesame Street. I had a few minutes before I needed to start my daily routine, so I hunkered down to watch a little bit of Super Grover.

In this installment, Super Grover helps a server in a restaurant keep a swinging door open so the server can bring the customer a wedge of cheese. Using a marshmallow failed. Using a piano failed. Each time Super Grover would crash into the door and the cheese wedge would fly into the air and onto the kitchen floor. Then, the door got stuck on Super Grover’s foot. They discovered that something wedged under the door would hold it open. Here’s where my stomach churned. Where could they find something wedge-shaped? Finally they recognized that the cheese was wedged-shaped! They heroically stuff the cheese under the door, and the door stays open. They walk through and the customer then asks where his cheese wedge is. Super Grover returns to the door, picks up the cheese that has been wedged under the door and hands it to the customer. Super Grover falls over again. End scene.

While I’m all for kids understanding the magic that is the inclined plane, this Super Grover episode is far from over. The next scene is in a court room where Super Grover and the restaurant are being sued by the customer for putting him in the hospital with that tainted cheese.

A funnier ending that could remain in synch with Super Grover’s Character would be that when Super Grover hands the customer the cheese, the customer says, “Um…that cheese has been on the floor. Could I get a clean cheese wedge, please?” And then, Super Grover makes his little sighing grunt. We learn a little about the inclined plane. We learn a little about safe food practices. Super Grover proves he’s one of the best super heroes the world has ever had. Everybody wins. How about a little rewrite there, Sesame Street? Teach our kids not to eat off the floor.

“Super Grover 2.0 Rodent Restaurant” can be seen in Sesame Street episode #4260

–Tim Snarr

We recently watched this impressive video, produced by our friends at the Jefferson County, CO Public Health Department. Titled “Inspection,” this video briefly illustrates the purpose behind a health inspector’s visit as well as how the inspections are carried out.

Here are some things you might not know about health inspections:

• Most inspections are surprise visits. This ensures that the establishment doesn’t behave differently, such as doing extra cleaning or scheduling the best-trained staff.
• Inspections can take more than an hour to complete. The inspector will do a thorough sweep of the establishment; taking temperatures, checking sanitizer levels, asking questions, and evaluating sanitary work flow.
• The most important part of the inspection occurs last, when the inspector and the food operator, or manager, sit together to discuss the inspection findings. If there were violations, the inspector will work with the operator to establish an action plan to correct the error.
• Inspectors often see themselves as partners of both the public and the food operator. Their job is to keep the public safe while maintaining a healthy, thriving food service community for their local economies.
• All inspection findings are public record, meaning they are available to to the public. Go to your local health department’s website for the latest sanitation reports. FYI, inspection findings are often organized by month or quarter, as many facilities are inspected multiple times a year.

–Emilee Follett

Source: Jefferson County Public Health Department

Valentine’s Day is coming up which means that many couples are making reservations for their favorite restaurant. Although the crumbs on the floor and the occasional sticky table might add to the “homey” atmosphere of your preferred mom and pop diner, you should think twice about what the kitchen might look like if the dining area is so filthy. You like the relaxed nature of the employees that shows when they prefer to handle your food without gloves; however, you should also consider how many “relaxed” food handlers tend to disregard those “Employees Must Wash Hands” signs hanging in the restrooms. Hopefully, you are trying to help your significant other remember this special night for how much you love them, not for how upset their digestive system feels. Here are some suggestions to help make your dining experience safer and more enjoyable:

• Take note of the dining area and restrooms. If they do not meet cleanliness standards, it’s probably a good sign that the kitchen is also in need of more than just a light dusting. You might consider eating elsewhere for your own safety.
• Only eat foods that are served to you hot. If the food is served to you at a lukewarm temperature, chances are that it was left sitting for too long and has allowed harmful bacteria to multiply.
• Make sure the staff does not touch your food or the tips of your silverware with their bare hands. It’s probably not a good idea to let them sample your drink either.
• Be wary of meat, eggs, oysters, or other raw foods that are undercooked.
• Wash your hands properly before and after eating.

And what about the doggie bag? If you and your loved one know that you will not be back home to refrigerate your leftovers within the next two hours, leave your food remains behind (even if it makes starving children in other countries cry.) If your leftovers do make it home, make sure that you reheat the goods to at least 165 degrees F. With leftovers, always keep the “Temperature Danger Zone” in mind–the range of temperature that bacteria thrive in, usually falling between 40 and 140 degrees F. Make sure to keep your food above or below this range.

Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!

–Madelyn Tucker

Sources: NSF.org, FDA.gov