Canning

October 1, 2008 — Rising concerns over food safety led Congress to pass new legislation that will require grocery stores to label the country of origin of imported meats, nuts, and produce. While stores are given a full six months to comply with the new rules, you could be seeing the new labels as soon as next week at our local Wal-Mart.

Calling attention to the recent slew of tainted ingredients ending up on American shelves, supporters praised the bill as a necessary step in ensuring the safety of the American public. Opponents criticized the limited scope of the law, which exempts many processed foods that are more likely to contain questionable ingredients.

As the American market continues to globalize, food safety is an increasingly local concern. While meats, produce, and some nuts will soon be labeled, lack of knowledge surrounding processed foods has led many to dabble in home food preservation.

To help equip residents with the necessary skills to ensure the safety of their food, the Winnemucca Community Garden sponsored a Food Preservation Workshop at the end of September. California Master Food Preservers Rachael Murphy and Claudia Skewes led the classes with ease, covering boiling-water canning, freezing, and drying over the course of four two-hour sessions.