Monday, Oregon State University opened its food preservation and safety hotline for another season of summer and fall harvesting.
Certified Master Food Preservers are standing by to answer any questions Oregonians might have on food preservation and safety. Nelly Oehler oversees the Master Food Preserver program in Lane and Douglas Counties. She says the phone line is a reliable source and that some out-dated information on the internet can be dangerous.
Oehler: “Anybody can post anything online. Food preservation is a science and it’s not a creative art. You can’t do just anything and get away with it. Commercially, they have test kitchens; they have to keep logs. I mean, look at all the recalls of things that are happening and at home people think, ‘Oh I can duplicate anything I can find in the store. Well you really can’t because you don’t have a laboratory to do it and it could be very serious.”
Oehler says it’s important to stay up-to-date with food preservation to avoid bacteria-caused illnesses. The hotline will remain open weekdays from nine to four through October 17. The toll-free number is 1-800-354-7319.
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