Yavapai Food Safety and Preservation
Food Safety education is critically important to the health and well-being of Yavapai County residents. Yavapai County Cooperative Extension and the Yavapai County Community Health Services, Environmental Health Unit, work together to "Make Yavapai County a Safer Place to Eat." Together they established the Food Safety Industry Council, which is an advisory board to the County Board of Supervisors. The purpose of the council is to identify and address food safety issues in Yavapai County.
Safely Preserving Foods at Home
Whether you have been preserving food for years or have only recently rediscovered the practice of growing and preserving your own food, proper equipment, ingredients and techniques are essential to ensuring safer and better quality food at home. Below are some resources to help:
Resources for Home Canning
- USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning: This resource has everything you need to know about canning food at home. It is for people canning for the first time or for experienced canners wanting to improve their canning practices. This publication is available as free download from the National Center for Home Food Preservation website. The Yavapai County Cooperative Extension office also has paper copies of this 196-page, full-color, spiral-bound book available to purchase for $22.00.
- Testing Pressure Canner Gauges: Each year before you begin canning, it is important to ensure that the pressure gauge on your pressure canner is accurate. The Yavapai County Cooperative Extension Office offers free testing for dial gauge pressure canners. Call us at (928) 445-6590 for questions or to identify a good time to bring in your gauge for testing.
Resources for Freezing
- How Do I Freeze? page on the National Center for Home Food Preservation's website has instructions for freezing a long list of fruits and vegetables (from apples to zucchini) and meats.
- NDSU Food Freezing Guide is a comprehensive guide from the North Dakota State University Extension Service that includes general information and principles of safe freezing as well as information for freezing specific food items.
High Altitude Cooking
Elevations over 3,000 feet are considered high altitude. As altitude increases, air pressure and the temperature at which water boils decrease. To correct problems encountered from these differences, it is possible to make adjustments to time, temperature and/or ingredients.
Service Dog Awareness Posters
The Food Safety Industry Council created 3 posters to raise consumer awareness about bringing animals into food establishments.
Yavapai Food Safety Industry Council
Mission
The Yavapai County Food Safety Industry Council (FSIC) was established through a partnership of the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension and the Environmental Health Unit of the Yavapai County Community Health Services (YCCHS). The Council is an advisory board of the County Board of Supervisors (BOS). There are 13 members appointed to the Food Safety Industry Council. Members include two industry representatives appointed from each of the five Board of Supervisors Districts and 3 consumer members at-large. Ex-officio members include The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, who represent academia and provide on-going research and education in the field of food safety and the Yavapai County Environmental Health Program which represents regulatory.
The purpose of the Yavapai County Food Safety Industry Council is to identify and address food safety issues in Yavapai County. The FSIC serves in an advisory capacity to the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension and the Environmental Health Program of the Yavapai County Community Health Services (YCCHS).
Goals
1. Identify food safety education needs of the food service industry and recommend educational programs.
2. Assess current food safety education program offerings and county impacts.
3. Review existing and proposed food policies in the Yavapai County Health Code and make recommendations to the YCCHS, Environmental Health Unit.
4. Assist as a communication bridge between YCCHS and the food service industry.
5. Provide input through YCCHS and the UA on national, state, and local food safety initiatives.
6. Provide input on content and quality of the Food Safety Newsletter.
7. Promote and maximize food safety.
COUNCIL MEETINGS
Meetings are held 6 times per year, on the 2nd Monday of every other month. All meetings are open to the public and are subject to the open meeting law. The January, March, July and September meetings are held via teleconference and can be attended at any one of the three health department locations in Prescott, Prescott Valley or Cottonwood. The May and November meetings are face-to-face; see below schedule for locations once they are confirmed.
FSIC Meeting Dates
FSIC Meeting Minutes and Agendas
COUNCIL MEMBERS
Board of Supervisors, District 1
Vacant
Dean Herbert, Deano's Sweet Potato Cafe
Board of Supervisors, District 2
Donna Humbarger, 50s Backseat Diner
John McReynolds, Babe’s Roundup
Board of Supervisors, District 3
Elaine Bremner, Verde Valley Senior Center
Patti Marrs, Verde Valley School
Board of Supervisors, District 4
Randy Bonneville, Bonn-fire, Randall's
Jeanne Briggs, YRMC
Board of Supervisors, District 5
Timothy Lacey, Cracker Barrel
Juan Perez, Puerto Vallarta
Consumers-At Large Members
Don Jepsen
Amy Aossey
Anthony Valadez