Tidbit: Phone app for Food Safety and Storage

 I just learned of a phone app designed for the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and the University of Iowa Cooperative Extension Services.  It is called 4Day Throw Away, “Protecting You from Bad Leftovers”.  It is based on food storage and food safety information from the USDA.

It has lots of functions, including:

• Tracking your leftovers and take-out food (and setting a throw-away reminder alarm)
• Learning how long to store any food, whether in the refrigerator, freezer or cupboard
• Special information about a food (such as, freezing cheese changes the texture)
• What bacteria are most likely to cause problems with a particular food (and details about symptoms of food poisoning from that bacteria). 

It costs 99 cents from the iTunes App store, which seems quite reasonable for all the good info contained in the app.

Food categories covered include Baby Food, Bakery Goods and Mixes, Beef, Pork and Meat Dishes, Beverages, Cereal and Pasta, Dairy (including Breast Milk), Eggs and Egg Dishes, Fruits, Leftovers and Take-Out, Other Foods, Poultry and Poultry Dishes, Spices, Herbs, Condiments and Extracts, Vegetables, and Wild Game.

Just for fun, I looked up a few foods. I always wondered how long to keep dry coffee creamer. You see, I have had the same bottle in my cupboard for at least 5 years.  I didn’t think much about it, because to me, it’s a non-food, and should never spoil, right?  Only one person uses it (my brother Matt); everyone else drinks black coffee.  I probably shouldn’t have gotten such a big jar, but it was on sale!

Anyway, the 4 Day Throw Away app told me that powdered coffee creamer or whitener (under Beverages) is good for about 8 months, and to keep it cool and dry. Well, it’s time I got some fresh stuff, wouldn’t you say? Matt will be pleased.