Porca Food

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the State of Oregon have reached a cooperative agreement, under which the state inspection program may inspect meat products produced for shipment within the state.

Under the cooperative agreement, the state inspection program must develop, administer, and enforce requirements “at least equal to” those imposed under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA).

“Today’s announcement with Oregon will help strengthen our nation’s food system and help prevent supply chain bottlenecks,” said USDA’s Deputy Under Secretary Sandra Eskin. “This program is beneficial to small meat and poultry processors in building their local and state marketplaces.”

With the addition of Oregon, 28 states now have state inspection programs. In states with inspection programs, establishments have the option to apply for federal or state inspection, but product produced under state inspection is limited to intrastate commerce. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s FSIS provides up to … Read more

Scones are the most unappreciated member of the American pastry case. But don’t blame the scone, blame the recipe.

I’ve worked in many different bakeries across New York City over the past eight years, and most of them have the same assortment of fresh-baked morning pastries — staples such as biscuits, muffins, banana bread, and scones. Speaking from experience, muffins are generally the most popular selection. Biscuits also don’t stay in the case long, as they’re an ideal alternative if you want a quick bite for breakfast but maybe aren’t a fan of sweets first thing in the morning. Only the scones often linger past the morning rush, and I’ve always found that to be rather unfair.

In most American bakeries, scones are a misunderstood and underappreciated member of the breakfast pastry case. The reason is simple: Most places are making them wrong, giving them a reputation as … Read more

Crispy air fryer jicama fries are a surprisingly tasty and healthy alternative to fries. Enjoy seasoned low-carb fries that are both nutritious and delicious!

I am obsessed with my air fryer! I love using my air fryer to cook all of my vegetables. Anything from corn on the cob to zucchini to even using my air fryer to cook the best tender carrots. I highly recommend that you try them all out!

What Are Jicama Fries?

If you haven’t been properly introduced to jicama fries yet, then I am happy to be the first one to tell you about them! Jicama is a starchy root vegetable that has a similar texture to a potato. But it is even healthier, and because it’s so similar, jicama makes the best fries! You won’t be able to tell the difference. I like to cut them up and add flavorful seasonings and throw them … Read more

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has released new updates detailing the agency’s Cyclospora prevention and research efforts.

In 2021, the FDA released its “Cyclospora Prevention, Response and Research Action Plan.” The action plan was developed by the agency’s Cyclospora Task Force and details the FDA’s strategy for reducing the public health burden of foodborne cyclosporiasis in the United States. It also defines the agency’s priorities for Cyclospora food safety research and supports ongoing efforts to combat foodborne illness.

According to the FDA, since releasing the Cyclospora action plan, they have:

• Collaborated with the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods to develop a charge document to help the FDA guide prioritization of Cyclospora research and propose novel food safety research projects in collaboration with stakeholders.
• Implemented a genotyping approach for Cyclospora cayetanensis in environmental and food samples based on the same method published by the Centers for Disease

Klondike will not be missed

As soon as Klondike announced that the Choco Taco would no longer be, the wailing began. Social media was filled with cries of no, say it ain’t so and petitions for Klondike to change its mind. Even Serena Williams’s husband (and also the guy who founded Reddit) Alexis Ohanian said he would buy the rights to ensure future generations had a chance to taste a not-as-crispy-as-it-should-be cone shell filled with slightly watered down chocolate and ice cream.

Okay, that’s harsh. But let’s be real — it’s probably been a minute since you actually had a Choco Taco. The outcry seems largely driven by nostalgia and novelty, the comfort of knowing some mediocre but reliable product from your childhood will no longer be there for you to spot in the corner store freezer and go “Oh … Read more