Sunday, September 30, 2007
Global Warming- As usual, no one is bothered
And the effects of rising temperatures aren’t waiting for some far-flung future. They’re happening right now. Signs are appearing all over, and some of them are surprising. The heat is not only melting glaciers and sea ice, it’s also shifting precipitation patterns and setting animals on the move.
Some impacts from increasing temperatures are already happening.
* Ice is melting worldwide, especially at the Earth’s poles. This includes mountain glaciers, ice sheets covering West Antarctica and Greenland, and Arctic sea ice.
* Researcher Bill Fraser has tracked the decline of the Adélie penguins on Antarctica, where their numbers have fallen from 32,000 breeding pairs to 11,000 in 30 years.
* Sea level rise became faster over the last century.
* Some butterflies, foxes, and alpine plants have moved farther north or to higher, cooler areas.
* Precipitation (rain and snowfall) has increased across the globe, on average.
* Spruce bark beetles have boomed in Alaska thanks to 20 years of warm summers. The insects have chewed up 4 million acres of spruce trees.
Other effects could happen later this century, if warming continues.
* Sea levels are expected to rise between 7 and 23 inches (18 and 59 centimeters) by the end of the century, and continued melting at the poles could add between 4 and 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters).
* Hurricanes and other storms are likely to become stronger.
* Species that depend on one another may become out of sync. For example, plants could bloom earlier than their pollinating insects become active.
* Floods and droughts will become more common. Rainfall in Ethiopia, where droughts are already common, could decline by 10 percent over the next 50 years.
* Less fresh water will be available. If the Quelccaya ice cap in Peru continues to melt at its current rate, it will be gone by 2100, leaving thousands of people who rely on it for drinking water and electricity without a source of either.
* Some diseases will spread, such as malaria carried by mosquitoes.
* Ecosystems will change—some species will move farther north or become more successful; others won’t be able to move and could become extinct. Wildlife research scientist Martyn Obbard has found that since the mid-1980s, with less ice on which to live and fish for food, polar bears have gotten considerably skinnier. Polar bear biologist Ian Stirling has found a similar pattern in Hudson Bay. He fears that if sea ice disappears, the polar bears will as well.
Source for climate information: IPCC, 2007
Some impacts from increasing temperatures are already happening.
* Ice is melting worldwide, especially at the Earth’s poles. This includes mountain glaciers, ice sheets covering West Antarctica and Greenland, and Arctic sea ice.
* Researcher Bill Fraser has tracked the decline of the Adélie penguins on Antarctica, where their numbers have fallen from 32,000 breeding pairs to 11,000 in 30 years.
* Sea level rise became faster over the last century.
* Some butterflies, foxes, and alpine plants have moved farther north or to higher, cooler areas.
* Precipitation (rain and snowfall) has increased across the globe, on average.
* Spruce bark beetles have boomed in Alaska thanks to 20 years of warm summers. The insects have chewed up 4 million acres of spruce trees.
Other effects could happen later this century, if warming continues.
* Sea levels are expected to rise between 7 and 23 inches (18 and 59 centimeters) by the end of the century, and continued melting at the poles could add between 4 and 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters).
* Hurricanes and other storms are likely to become stronger.
* Species that depend on one another may become out of sync. For example, plants could bloom earlier than their pollinating insects become active.
* Floods and droughts will become more common. Rainfall in Ethiopia, where droughts are already common, could decline by 10 percent over the next 50 years.
* Less fresh water will be available. If the Quelccaya ice cap in Peru continues to melt at its current rate, it will be gone by 2100, leaving thousands of people who rely on it for drinking water and electricity without a source of either.
* Some diseases will spread, such as malaria carried by mosquitoes.
* Ecosystems will change—some species will move farther north or become more successful; others won’t be able to move and could become extinct. Wildlife research scientist Martyn Obbard has found that since the mid-1980s, with less ice on which to live and fish for food, polar bears have gotten considerably skinnier. Polar bear biologist Ian Stirling has found a similar pattern in Hudson Bay. He fears that if sea ice disappears, the polar bears will as well.
Source for climate information: IPCC, 2007
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Saturday, September 15, 2007
USDA Dairy Grading
The U.S. Grade AA or Grade A shield is most commonly found on butter and sometimes on Cheddar cheese.
U.S. Extra Grade is the grade name for instant nonfat dry milk of high quality. Processors who use USDA's grading and inspection service may use the official grade name or shield on the package.
The "Quality Approved" shield may be used on other dairy products (for example, cottage cheese) or other cheeses for which no official U.S. grade standards exist if the products have been inspected for quality under USDA's grading and inspection program.
Dairy Facts
* Milk available in stores today is usually pasteur-ized and homogenized. Very little raw milk is sold today.
* In pasteurizing, milk is heated briefly to kill pathogens and harmful bacteria. Then, it is rapidly chilled.
* Homogenized milk has been processed to reduce the size of the milkfat globules so the cream does not separate and the product stays uniform throughout.
* Depending on its milkfat content, fluid milk is labeled milk, lowfat milk, or skim milk (nonfat milk). Vitamin D may be added to any of these milks, and the milk is then so labeled. If added, the vitamin D content must be increased to at least 400 International Units (I.U.) per quart.
* Lowfat and skim (nonfat) milk are fortified with vitamin A (at least 2,000 I.U. per quart), usually providing more vitamin A than whole milk. The protein and other vitamin and mineral content of milks with reduced milkfat are equivalent to that of whole milk.
* Federal, State, and local laws or regulations control the composition, processing, and handling of milk. Federal laws apply when packaged or bottled milk is shipped interstate. Raw milk is prohibited from being sold interstate.
* The Pasteurized Milk Ordinance of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that all packaged or bottled milk shipped interstate be pasteurized to protect consumers. Milk can be labeled "Grade A" if it meets FDA or State standards under the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance.
* The Grade A rating designates wholesomeness or safety rather than a level of quality. According to the standards recommended in the ordinance, Grade A pasteurized milk must come from healthy cows and be produced, pasteurized, and handled under strict sanitary controls which are enforced by State and local milk sanitation officials.
* The following storage times are guidelines for maintaining the quality of milk and cream in the refrigerator at home after purchase: Fresh milk -- 5 days; buttermilk -- 10-30 days; condensed or evaporated milk -- opened 4-5 days; half and half, light cream, and heavy cream -- 10 days; sour cream -- 2-4 weeks.
Dairy Dictionary
In the definitions that follow, the composition or milkfat content given for each product (except for butter) is required under FDA regulations. State laws or regulations may differ somewhat from FDA's. The milkfat content of butter is set by a Federal law. FDA has established a regulation that allows a product to deviate from the standard composition in order to qualify for a nutrient content claim. Products such as nonfat sour cream, light eggnog, reduced fat butter, and nonfat cottage cheese fall into this category.
Milk
* Whole Milk Whole milk is usually homogenized and fortified with vitamin D. For shipment in interstate commerce, it must contain a minimum of 3.25 percent milkfat and 8.25 percent milk solids not fat (MSNF). The milk must also meet minimum milkfat requirements set by the State or municipality where it is sold.
* Lowfat Milk Lowfat milk has between 0.5 and 2 percent milkfat, contains 8.25 percent MSNF, and is fortified with vitamin A. The addition of vita- min D is optional.
Tip on Lowfat Milk: Lowfat milk can be made at home by mixing half whole milk with half skim milk or reconstituted instant nonfat dry milk.
* Skim milk (nonfat milk) must have less than 0.5 percent milkfat, contain 8.25 percent MSNF, and must be fortified with vitamin A. The addition of vitamin D is optional.
Tip on Skim Milk: The flavor and food value of skim milk can be improved by adding a teaspoonful of instant nonfat dry milk to each glass.
* Flavored Milks Flavored milks are made by adding fruit, fruit juice, or other natural or artificial food flavorings such as strawberry, chocolate syrup, or cocoa to pasteurized milk.
Tips on Chocolate-Flavored Milk: Regular, lowfat, or skim chocolate-flavored milk can be heated for quick and easy hot chocolate. Use chocolate-flavored milk in cookie or cake recipes that call for both milk and chocolate or cocoa.
* Buttermilk All commercially sold buttermilk is cultured. This means that a safe lactic acid- producing bacterial culture is added to freshly pasteurized skim or lowfat milk to produce the buttermilk. It is much thicker than skim milk and is higher in sodium than other milk. Buttermilk is a good thirst quencher.
Tips on Buttermilk: Always keep cultured buttermilk chilled. If it is allowed to warm, it may separate. If it does separate, just stir it. Dried buttermilk, a byproduct of buttermaking, is used in pancake mixes and bakery products.
* Dry Whole Milk Dry whole milk is pasteurized whole milk with the water removed. It has limited retail distribution -- mainly for use in infant feeding and for people without access to fresh milk, such as campers. Dry whole milk is usually sold to chocolate and candy manufacturers.
Tips on Dry Whole Milk: An opened package should be tightly sealed and stored in a cool, dry place. Dry whole milk develops off-flavors if not used soon after opening.
* Nonfat Dry Milk Nonfat dry milk, made by removing nearly all the fat and water from pasteurized milk, contains about half the calories of whole milk. "Instant" nonfat dry milk is made of larger particles that dissolve more easily in water. Some instant nonfat dry milk contains added vitamins A and D. To earn the "U.S. Extra Grade" shield, instant nonfat dry milk must have a sweet, pleasing flavor and a natural color. It must also dissolve immediately when mixed with water.
Tips on Nonfat Dry Milk: Nonfat dry milk needs no refrigeration and can be stored for several months in a cool, dry place. An opened package should be tightly resealed. After nonfat dry milk is reconstituted, refrigerate and handle as fresh milk.
Use nonfat dry milk both as a beverage and in cooking. When used as a beverage, reconstitute it several hours before serving to allow time to chill.
* Evaporated Milk Evaporated milk is prepared by heating homogenized whole milk under a vacuum to remove half its water, sealing it in cans, and thermally processing it. When evaporated milk is mixed with an equal amount of water, its nutritive value is about the same as whole milk. Evaporated skim milk is also available.
Tips on Evaporated Milk: Always refrigerate after opening. Used full strength, evaporated milk adds extra nutritive value to the diet. Evaporated milk, with an equal amount of water added, may replace fresh milk in recipes. It can also be used in coffee or on hot or cold cereal.
* Sweetened Condensed Milk This concentrated canned milk is prepared by removing about half the water from whole milk. Often used in candy and dessert recipes, sweetened condensed milk has at least 40 percent sugar by weight.
Cream
FDA sets standards of composition for milk and different types of cream. These standards give minimum milkfat requirements, which must be met if the product is to be shipped in interstate commerce.
* Light Cream Light cream, also called coffee cream or table cream, must have at least 18 percent milkfat, but less than 30 percent.
Tips on Light Cream: For maximum shelf life, do not return unused cream from a pitcher to its original container. Store it separately in the refrigerator. Try to pour only as much from the original container as is needed at one time.
* Half-and-Half Half-and-half is made by homogenizing a mixture of milk and cream. It must contain at least 10.5 percent milkfat, but not more than 18 percent.
Tip on Half-and-Half: Half-and-half can be mixed at home using equal parts homogenized whole milk and light cream.
* Light Whipping Cream Light whipping cream must have at least 30 percent milkfat, but less than 36 percent.
Tip on Light Whipping Cream: To whip this kind of cream, both the bowl and cream should be well chilled.
* Heavy Cream Heavy cream must have at least 36 percent milkfat.
Tips on Heavy Cream: Although heavy cream is more easily whipped than light whipping cream, it will whip still more easily if the cream and the bowl are well chilled. Don't over-whip heavy cream; it may become grainy.
* Sour Cream Sour cream is made by adding a special bacterial culture to light cream. The bacteria produce lactic acid, which sours the cream. Sometimes manufacturers use food-grade acid instead of bacteria to make sour cream. The product must be labeled "acidified sour cream" if this process is used. Acidified sour cream has the same wholesomeness as sour cream; the only difference is in the manufacturing process. Both sour cream and acidified sour cream are smooth and thick, and meet the milkfat requirements for light cream.
* Sour Half-and-Half A bacterial culture or a food-grade acid is used to make sour half-and-half. FDA standards of identity require the product to be labeled acidified sour half-and-half if food-grade acid is used.
Tip on Sour Half-and-Half: Use sour half-and-half instead of sour cream for less fat.
Butter
Butter is made by churning pasteurized cream. Federal law requires that it contain at least 80 percent milkfat. Salt and coloring may be added. Nutritionally, butter is a fat; one tablespoon contains 12 grams total fat, 7 grams saturated fatty acids, 31 milligrams cholesterol, and 100 calories.
Whipped butter is regular butter whipped for easier spreading. Whipping increases the amount of air in butter and increases the volume of butter per pound.
The USDA grade shield on butter packages means that butter has been tested and graded by experienced government graders. In addition to checking the quality of the butter, the graders also test its keeping ability.
* U.S. Grade AA Butter
has a delicate sweet flavor, with a fine, highly pleasing aroma
is made from fresh sweet cream
has a smooth, creamy texture with good spreadability
* U.S. Grade A Butter
has a pleasing flavor
is made from fresh cream
is fairly smooth in texture
Tip on Butter: Unsalted butter may be labeled "sweet" or "unsalted" butter. Some people prefer its flavor.
When using whipped butter in place of regular butter in recipes, use 1/3 to 1/2 more than the recipe calls for if the measurement is by volume (1 cup, 1/2 cup, etc.). If the measurement is by weight (1/4 pound, 1/2 pound, etc.), use the amount called for.
Store butter in its original wrapper or container so it won't pick up flavors from other foods.
Butter thinly spread in sandwiches adds moisture and flavor, and keeps the filling from soaking the bread.
Cheese
* Natural Cheese There are hundreds of varieties of natural cheese. Cheese is generally made from whole milk, although skim milk, cream, and goat's milk are also used. Cheesemaking consists of separating most of the milk solids from the milk by coagulating with safe bacterial cultures and rennet or a microbial enzyme. The curd is then separated from the whey by heating, stirring, and pressing.
After the cheese has been formed into its characteristic shape, it is given a wax or other protective coating and allowed to age for varying lengths of time, depending on the kind of cheese being made. When the cheese has reached its proper aging or curing state, it is cut into sizes suitable for consumer use.
A 1 1/2-ounce serving of natural cheese supplies the same amount of calcium as 1 cup of milk or yogurt, as well as 12 to 14 grams total fat, 9 grams saturated fatty acids, 4 milligrams cholesterol, and 173 calories. For sodium, while 1 cup of milk contains 120 milligrams, 1 1/2 ounces of natural cheese could contain from 110 to 450 milligrams, while 2 ounces of process cheese could contain 800 milligrams.
The U.S. Grade AA shield may be found on Cheddar cheese in some stores. Other cheeses may receive industry grades, but these do not appear on consumer packages.
* U.S. Grade AA cheese:
has fine, highly pleasing Cheddar flavor;
smooth, compact texture;
uniform color and attractive appearance
* Process Cheese Process cheese is a blend of cheeses which have been shredded, mixed, heated, and then molded. No further ripening occurs. Process cheese may contain pimentos, fruits, vegetables, or meats.
If the label says "process cheese food," other ingredients such as nonfat dry milk or whey solids and water have been added, resulting in a lower milkfat content and more moisture than process cheese.
Process cheese spread has an even higher moisture content and lower milkfat content than process cheese and cheese food. As a result, it's more spreadable.
Process cheese products usually come packed in slices, loaves, or jars.
* Cottage Cheese Cottage cheese is a soft, uncured cheese prepared by mixing dry curd cottage cheese with a creaming mixture. "Dry curd cottage cheese" has a milkfat content of less than 0.5 percent, while "cottage cheese" must have a milkfat content of at least 4 percent.
Lowfat and nonfat varieties of cottage cheese are defined in FDA standards of identity. Lowfat cottage cheese must have a milkfat content between 0.5 percent and 2 percent. Nonfat cottage cheese contains less than 0.5 percent total fat.
Cottage cheese may bear the USDA "Quality Approved" shield if it is of good quality and made under USDA supervision.
Tip on Cottage Cheese: All cottage cheeses should be used within 10 to 30 days.
Yogurt
Milk is cultured with a special bacteria to make custard-like yogurt. Yogurt is usually made from homogenized, pasteurized lowfat milk, and may be enriched with nonfat dry milk solids. Because it is slightly more concentrated, it is higher in several nutrients (such as calcium) than an equal amount of milk.
Tips on Yogurt: If separation occurs, just stir the liquid back into the yogurt.
Sweetened and fruit-flavored yogurt is available in sundae-style with the fruit at the bottom, and Swiss-style with the fruit distributed throughout the yogurt.
Frozen Desserts
* Ice Cream Ice cream is made from cream, milk, sweeteners, flavorings, stabilizers, and emulsifiers. To be shipped in interstate commerce, it must contain at least 10 percent milkfat.
* Frozen Custard (French Ice Cream) Frozen custard, also called French ice cream or New York ice cream, has egg yolks added.
* Lowfat Ice Cream Lowfat ice cream, or ice milk, is made from milk, stabilizers, sweeteners, and flavorings, and contains not more than 3 grams of fat per 4-ounce serving. Ice creams advertised as "reduced fat" or "light" must have a lower fat content than "regular" ice cream, but may not meet the standard for "lowfat." Soft-serve frozen desserts are similar to lowfat ice cream, but are specially processed.
* Sherbet Sherbet, made from milk, fruit or fruit juice, stabilizers, and sweeteners, has about twice as much sweetener as ice cream. It must have 1 to 2 percent milkfat.
* Frozen Yogurt Frozen yogurts, containing sweeteners and flavorings, are available in regular and lowfat varieties.
U.S. Extra Grade is the grade name for instant nonfat dry milk of high quality. Processors who use USDA's grading and inspection service may use the official grade name or shield on the package.
The "Quality Approved" shield may be used on other dairy products (for example, cottage cheese) or other cheeses for which no official U.S. grade standards exist if the products have been inspected for quality under USDA's grading and inspection program.
Dairy Facts
* Milk available in stores today is usually pasteur-ized and homogenized. Very little raw milk is sold today.
* In pasteurizing, milk is heated briefly to kill pathogens and harmful bacteria. Then, it is rapidly chilled.
* Homogenized milk has been processed to reduce the size of the milkfat globules so the cream does not separate and the product stays uniform throughout.
* Depending on its milkfat content, fluid milk is labeled milk, lowfat milk, or skim milk (nonfat milk). Vitamin D may be added to any of these milks, and the milk is then so labeled. If added, the vitamin D content must be increased to at least 400 International Units (I.U.) per quart.
* Lowfat and skim (nonfat) milk are fortified with vitamin A (at least 2,000 I.U. per quart), usually providing more vitamin A than whole milk. The protein and other vitamin and mineral content of milks with reduced milkfat are equivalent to that of whole milk.
* Federal, State, and local laws or regulations control the composition, processing, and handling of milk. Federal laws apply when packaged or bottled milk is shipped interstate. Raw milk is prohibited from being sold interstate.
* The Pasteurized Milk Ordinance of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that all packaged or bottled milk shipped interstate be pasteurized to protect consumers. Milk can be labeled "Grade A" if it meets FDA or State standards under the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance.
* The Grade A rating designates wholesomeness or safety rather than a level of quality. According to the standards recommended in the ordinance, Grade A pasteurized milk must come from healthy cows and be produced, pasteurized, and handled under strict sanitary controls which are enforced by State and local milk sanitation officials.
* The following storage times are guidelines for maintaining the quality of milk and cream in the refrigerator at home after purchase: Fresh milk -- 5 days; buttermilk -- 10-30 days; condensed or evaporated milk -- opened 4-5 days; half and half, light cream, and heavy cream -- 10 days; sour cream -- 2-4 weeks.
Dairy Dictionary
In the definitions that follow, the composition or milkfat content given for each product (except for butter) is required under FDA regulations. State laws or regulations may differ somewhat from FDA's. The milkfat content of butter is set by a Federal law. FDA has established a regulation that allows a product to deviate from the standard composition in order to qualify for a nutrient content claim. Products such as nonfat sour cream, light eggnog, reduced fat butter, and nonfat cottage cheese fall into this category.
Milk
* Whole Milk Whole milk is usually homogenized and fortified with vitamin D. For shipment in interstate commerce, it must contain a minimum of 3.25 percent milkfat and 8.25 percent milk solids not fat (MSNF). The milk must also meet minimum milkfat requirements set by the State or municipality where it is sold.
* Lowfat Milk Lowfat milk has between 0.5 and 2 percent milkfat, contains 8.25 percent MSNF, and is fortified with vitamin A. The addition of vita- min D is optional.
Tip on Lowfat Milk: Lowfat milk can be made at home by mixing half whole milk with half skim milk or reconstituted instant nonfat dry milk.
* Skim milk (nonfat milk) must have less than 0.5 percent milkfat, contain 8.25 percent MSNF, and must be fortified with vitamin A. The addition of vitamin D is optional.
Tip on Skim Milk: The flavor and food value of skim milk can be improved by adding a teaspoonful of instant nonfat dry milk to each glass.
* Flavored Milks Flavored milks are made by adding fruit, fruit juice, or other natural or artificial food flavorings such as strawberry, chocolate syrup, or cocoa to pasteurized milk.
Tips on Chocolate-Flavored Milk: Regular, lowfat, or skim chocolate-flavored milk can be heated for quick and easy hot chocolate. Use chocolate-flavored milk in cookie or cake recipes that call for both milk and chocolate or cocoa.
* Buttermilk All commercially sold buttermilk is cultured. This means that a safe lactic acid- producing bacterial culture is added to freshly pasteurized skim or lowfat milk to produce the buttermilk. It is much thicker than skim milk and is higher in sodium than other milk. Buttermilk is a good thirst quencher.
Tips on Buttermilk: Always keep cultured buttermilk chilled. If it is allowed to warm, it may separate. If it does separate, just stir it. Dried buttermilk, a byproduct of buttermaking, is used in pancake mixes and bakery products.
* Dry Whole Milk Dry whole milk is pasteurized whole milk with the water removed. It has limited retail distribution -- mainly for use in infant feeding and for people without access to fresh milk, such as campers. Dry whole milk is usually sold to chocolate and candy manufacturers.
Tips on Dry Whole Milk: An opened package should be tightly sealed and stored in a cool, dry place. Dry whole milk develops off-flavors if not used soon after opening.
* Nonfat Dry Milk Nonfat dry milk, made by removing nearly all the fat and water from pasteurized milk, contains about half the calories of whole milk. "Instant" nonfat dry milk is made of larger particles that dissolve more easily in water. Some instant nonfat dry milk contains added vitamins A and D. To earn the "U.S. Extra Grade" shield, instant nonfat dry milk must have a sweet, pleasing flavor and a natural color. It must also dissolve immediately when mixed with water.
Tips on Nonfat Dry Milk: Nonfat dry milk needs no refrigeration and can be stored for several months in a cool, dry place. An opened package should be tightly resealed. After nonfat dry milk is reconstituted, refrigerate and handle as fresh milk.
Use nonfat dry milk both as a beverage and in cooking. When used as a beverage, reconstitute it several hours before serving to allow time to chill.
* Evaporated Milk Evaporated milk is prepared by heating homogenized whole milk under a vacuum to remove half its water, sealing it in cans, and thermally processing it. When evaporated milk is mixed with an equal amount of water, its nutritive value is about the same as whole milk. Evaporated skim milk is also available.
Tips on Evaporated Milk: Always refrigerate after opening. Used full strength, evaporated milk adds extra nutritive value to the diet. Evaporated milk, with an equal amount of water added, may replace fresh milk in recipes. It can also be used in coffee or on hot or cold cereal.
* Sweetened Condensed Milk This concentrated canned milk is prepared by removing about half the water from whole milk. Often used in candy and dessert recipes, sweetened condensed milk has at least 40 percent sugar by weight.
Cream
FDA sets standards of composition for milk and different types of cream. These standards give minimum milkfat requirements, which must be met if the product is to be shipped in interstate commerce.
* Light Cream Light cream, also called coffee cream or table cream, must have at least 18 percent milkfat, but less than 30 percent.
Tips on Light Cream: For maximum shelf life, do not return unused cream from a pitcher to its original container. Store it separately in the refrigerator. Try to pour only as much from the original container as is needed at one time.
* Half-and-Half Half-and-half is made by homogenizing a mixture of milk and cream. It must contain at least 10.5 percent milkfat, but not more than 18 percent.
Tip on Half-and-Half: Half-and-half can be mixed at home using equal parts homogenized whole milk and light cream.
* Light Whipping Cream Light whipping cream must have at least 30 percent milkfat, but less than 36 percent.
Tip on Light Whipping Cream: To whip this kind of cream, both the bowl and cream should be well chilled.
* Heavy Cream Heavy cream must have at least 36 percent milkfat.
Tips on Heavy Cream: Although heavy cream is more easily whipped than light whipping cream, it will whip still more easily if the cream and the bowl are well chilled. Don't over-whip heavy cream; it may become grainy.
* Sour Cream Sour cream is made by adding a special bacterial culture to light cream. The bacteria produce lactic acid, which sours the cream. Sometimes manufacturers use food-grade acid instead of bacteria to make sour cream. The product must be labeled "acidified sour cream" if this process is used. Acidified sour cream has the same wholesomeness as sour cream; the only difference is in the manufacturing process. Both sour cream and acidified sour cream are smooth and thick, and meet the milkfat requirements for light cream.
* Sour Half-and-Half A bacterial culture or a food-grade acid is used to make sour half-and-half. FDA standards of identity require the product to be labeled acidified sour half-and-half if food-grade acid is used.
Tip on Sour Half-and-Half: Use sour half-and-half instead of sour cream for less fat.
Butter
Butter is made by churning pasteurized cream. Federal law requires that it contain at least 80 percent milkfat. Salt and coloring may be added. Nutritionally, butter is a fat; one tablespoon contains 12 grams total fat, 7 grams saturated fatty acids, 31 milligrams cholesterol, and 100 calories.
Whipped butter is regular butter whipped for easier spreading. Whipping increases the amount of air in butter and increases the volume of butter per pound.
The USDA grade shield on butter packages means that butter has been tested and graded by experienced government graders. In addition to checking the quality of the butter, the graders also test its keeping ability.
* U.S. Grade AA Butter
has a delicate sweet flavor, with a fine, highly pleasing aroma
is made from fresh sweet cream
has a smooth, creamy texture with good spreadability
* U.S. Grade A Butter
has a pleasing flavor
is made from fresh cream
is fairly smooth in texture
Tip on Butter: Unsalted butter may be labeled "sweet" or "unsalted" butter. Some people prefer its flavor.
When using whipped butter in place of regular butter in recipes, use 1/3 to 1/2 more than the recipe calls for if the measurement is by volume (1 cup, 1/2 cup, etc.). If the measurement is by weight (1/4 pound, 1/2 pound, etc.), use the amount called for.
Store butter in its original wrapper or container so it won't pick up flavors from other foods.
Butter thinly spread in sandwiches adds moisture and flavor, and keeps the filling from soaking the bread.
Cheese
* Natural Cheese There are hundreds of varieties of natural cheese. Cheese is generally made from whole milk, although skim milk, cream, and goat's milk are also used. Cheesemaking consists of separating most of the milk solids from the milk by coagulating with safe bacterial cultures and rennet or a microbial enzyme. The curd is then separated from the whey by heating, stirring, and pressing.
After the cheese has been formed into its characteristic shape, it is given a wax or other protective coating and allowed to age for varying lengths of time, depending on the kind of cheese being made. When the cheese has reached its proper aging or curing state, it is cut into sizes suitable for consumer use.
A 1 1/2-ounce serving of natural cheese supplies the same amount of calcium as 1 cup of milk or yogurt, as well as 12 to 14 grams total fat, 9 grams saturated fatty acids, 4 milligrams cholesterol, and 173 calories. For sodium, while 1 cup of milk contains 120 milligrams, 1 1/2 ounces of natural cheese could contain from 110 to 450 milligrams, while 2 ounces of process cheese could contain 800 milligrams.
The U.S. Grade AA shield may be found on Cheddar cheese in some stores. Other cheeses may receive industry grades, but these do not appear on consumer packages.
* U.S. Grade AA cheese:
has fine, highly pleasing Cheddar flavor;
smooth, compact texture;
uniform color and attractive appearance
* Process Cheese Process cheese is a blend of cheeses which have been shredded, mixed, heated, and then molded. No further ripening occurs. Process cheese may contain pimentos, fruits, vegetables, or meats.
If the label says "process cheese food," other ingredients such as nonfat dry milk or whey solids and water have been added, resulting in a lower milkfat content and more moisture than process cheese.
Process cheese spread has an even higher moisture content and lower milkfat content than process cheese and cheese food. As a result, it's more spreadable.
Process cheese products usually come packed in slices, loaves, or jars.
* Cottage Cheese Cottage cheese is a soft, uncured cheese prepared by mixing dry curd cottage cheese with a creaming mixture. "Dry curd cottage cheese" has a milkfat content of less than 0.5 percent, while "cottage cheese" must have a milkfat content of at least 4 percent.
Lowfat and nonfat varieties of cottage cheese are defined in FDA standards of identity. Lowfat cottage cheese must have a milkfat content between 0.5 percent and 2 percent. Nonfat cottage cheese contains less than 0.5 percent total fat.
Cottage cheese may bear the USDA "Quality Approved" shield if it is of good quality and made under USDA supervision.
Tip on Cottage Cheese: All cottage cheeses should be used within 10 to 30 days.
Yogurt
Milk is cultured with a special bacteria to make custard-like yogurt. Yogurt is usually made from homogenized, pasteurized lowfat milk, and may be enriched with nonfat dry milk solids. Because it is slightly more concentrated, it is higher in several nutrients (such as calcium) than an equal amount of milk.
Tips on Yogurt: If separation occurs, just stir the liquid back into the yogurt.
Sweetened and fruit-flavored yogurt is available in sundae-style with the fruit at the bottom, and Swiss-style with the fruit distributed throughout the yogurt.
Frozen Desserts
* Ice Cream Ice cream is made from cream, milk, sweeteners, flavorings, stabilizers, and emulsifiers. To be shipped in interstate commerce, it must contain at least 10 percent milkfat.
* Frozen Custard (French Ice Cream) Frozen custard, also called French ice cream or New York ice cream, has egg yolks added.
* Lowfat Ice Cream Lowfat ice cream, or ice milk, is made from milk, stabilizers, sweeteners, and flavorings, and contains not more than 3 grams of fat per 4-ounce serving. Ice creams advertised as "reduced fat" or "light" must have a lower fat content than "regular" ice cream, but may not meet the standard for "lowfat." Soft-serve frozen desserts are similar to lowfat ice cream, but are specially processed.
* Sherbet Sherbet, made from milk, fruit or fruit juice, stabilizers, and sweeteners, has about twice as much sweetener as ice cream. It must have 1 to 2 percent milkfat.
* Frozen Yogurt Frozen yogurts, containing sweeteners and flavorings, are available in regular and lowfat varieties.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
The Frightening Future of Earth
Timeline: The Frightening Future of Earth
By Andrea Thompson, and Ker Than
posted: 19 April 2007 08:32 am ET
Our planet's prospects for environmental stability are bleaker than ever with the approach of this year’s Earth Day, April 22. Global warming is widely accepted as a reality by scientists and even by previously doubtful government and industrial leaders. And according to a recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), there is a 90 percent likelihood that humans are contributing to the change.
The international panel of scientists predicts the global average temperature could increase by 2 to 11 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100 and that sea levels could rise by up to 2 feet.
Scientists have even speculated that a slight increase in Earth's rotation rate could result, along with other changes. Glaciers, already receding, will disappear. Epic floods will hit some areas while intense drought will strike others. Humans will face widespread water shortages. Famine and disease will increase. Earth’s landscape will transform radically, with a quarter of plants and animals at risk of extinction.
While putting specific dates on these traumatic potential events is challenging, this timeline paints the big picture and details Earth's future based on several recent studies and the longer scientific version of the IPCC report, which was made available to LiveScience.
2007
More of the world's population now lives in cities than in rural areas, changing patterns of land use. The world population surpasses 6.6 billion. (Peter Crane, Royal Botanic Gardens, UK, Science; UN World Urbanization Prospectus: The 2003 Revision; U.S. Census Bureau)
2008
Global oil production peaks sometime between 2008 and 2018, according to a model by one Swedish physicist. Others say this turning point, known as “Hubbert’s Peak,” won’t occur until after 2020. Once Hubbert’s Peak is reached, global oil production will begin an irreversible decline, possibly triggering a global recession, food shortages and conflict between nations over dwindling oil supplies. (doctoral dissertation of Frederik Robelius, University of Uppsala, Sweden; report by Robert Hirsch of the Science Applications International Corporation)
2020
Flash floods will very likely increase across all parts of Europe. (IPCC)
Less rainfall could reduce agriculture yields by up to 50 percent in some parts of the world. (IPCC)
World population will reach 7.6 billion people. (U.S. Census Bureau)
2030
Diarrhea-related diseases will likely increase by up to 5 percent in low-income parts of the world. (IPCC)
Up to 18 percent of the world’s coral reefs will likely be lost as a result of climate change and other environmental stresses. In Asian coastal waters, the coral loss could reach 30 percent. (IPCC)
World population will reach 8.3 billion people. (U.S. Census Bureau)
Warming temperatures will cause temperate glaciers on equatorial mountains in Africa to disappear. (Richard Taylor, University College London, Geophysical Research Letters:)
In developing countries, the urban population will more than double to about 4 billion people, packing more people onto a given city's land area. The urban populations of developed countries may also increase by as much as 20 percent. (World Bank: The Dynamics of Global Urban Expansion)
2040
The Arctic Sea could be ice-free in the summer, and winter ice depth may shrink drastically. Other scientists say the region will still have summer ice up to 2060 and 2105. (Marika Holland, NCAR, Geophysical Research Letters)
2050
Small alpine glaciers will very likely disappear completely, and large glaciers will shrink by 30 to 70 percent. Austrian scientist Roland Psenner of the University of Innsbruck says this is a conservative estimate, and the small alpine glaciers could be gone as soon as 2037. (IPCC)
In Australia, there will likely be an additional 3,200 to 5,200 heat-related deaths per year. The hardest hit will be people over the age of 65. An extra 500 to 1,000 people will die of heat-related deaths in New York City per year. In the United Kingdom, the opposite will occur, and cold-related deaths will outpace heat-related ones. (IPCC)
World population reaches 9.4 billion people. (U.S. Census Bureau)
Crop yields could increase by up to 20 percent in East and Southeast Asia, while decreasing by up to 30 percent in Central and South Asia. Similar shifts in crop yields could occur on other continents. (IPCC)
As biodiversity hotspots are more threatened, a quarter of the world’s plant and vertebrate animal species could face extinction. (Jay Malcolm, University of Toronto, Conservation Biology)
2070
As glaciers disappear and areas affected by drought increase, electricity production for the world’s existing hydropower stations will decrease. Hardest hit will be Europe, where hydropower potential is expected to decline on average by 6 percent; around the Mediterranean, the decrease could be up to 50 percent. (IPCC)
Warmer, drier conditions will lead to more frequent and longer droughts, as well as longer fire-seasons, increased fire risks, and more frequent heat waves, especially in Mediterranean regions. (IPCC)
2080
While some parts of the world dry out, others will be inundated. Scientists predict up to 20 percent of the world’s populations live in river basins likely to be affected by increased flood hazards. Up to 100 million people could experience coastal flooding each year. Most at risk are densely populated and low-lying areas that are less able to adapt to rising sea levels and areas which already face other challenges such as tropical storms. (IPCC)
Coastal population could balloon to 5 billion people, up from 1.2 billion in 1990. (IPCC)
Between 1.1 and 3.2 billion people will experience water shortages and up to 600 million will go hungry. (IPCC)
Sea levels could rise around New York City by more than three feet, potentially flooding the Rockaways, Coney Island, much of southern Brooklyn and Queens, portions of Long Island City, Astoria, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens, lower Manhattan and eastern Staten Island from Great Kills Harbor north to the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. (NASA GISS)
2085
The risk of dengue fever from climate change is estimated to increase to 3.5 billion people. (IPCC)
2100
A combination of global warming and other factors will push many ecosystems to the limit, forcing them to exceed their natural ability to adapt to climate change. (IPCC)
Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels will be much higher than anytime during the past 650,000 years. (IPCC)
Ocean pH levels will very likely decrease by as much as 0.5 pH units, the lowest it’s been in the last 20 million years. The ability of marine organisms such as corals, crabs and oysters to form shells or exoskeletons could be impaired. (IPCC)
Thawing permafrost and other factors will make Earth’s land a net source of carbon emissions, meaning it will emit more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than it absorbs. (IPCC)
Roughly 20 to 30 percent of species assessed as of 2007 could be extinct by 2100 if global mean temperatures exceed 2 to 3 degrees of pre-industrial levels. (IPCC)
New climate zones appear on up to 39 percent of the world’s land surface, radically transforming the planet. (Jack Williams, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)
A quarter of all species of plants and land animals—more than a million total—could be driven to extinction. The IPCC reports warn that current “conservation practices are generally ill-prepared for climate change and effective adaptation responses are likely to be costly to implement.” (IPCC)
Increased droughts could significantly reduce moisture levels in the American Southwest, northern Mexico and possibly parts of Europe, Africa and the Middle East, effectively recreating the “Dust Bowl” environments of the 1930s in the United States. (Richard Seager, Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory, Science)
2200
An Earth day will be 0.12 milliseconds shorter, as rising temperatures cause oceans to expand away from the equator and toward the poles, one model predicts. One reason water will be shifted toward the poles is most of the expansion will take place in the North Atlantic Ocean, near the North Pole. The poles are closer to the Earth’s axis of rotation, so having more mass there should speed up the planet’s rotation. (Felix Landerer, Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Geophysical Research Letters)
By Andrea Thompson, and Ker Than
posted: 19 April 2007 08:32 am ET
Our planet's prospects for environmental stability are bleaker than ever with the approach of this year’s Earth Day, April 22. Global warming is widely accepted as a reality by scientists and even by previously doubtful government and industrial leaders. And according to a recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), there is a 90 percent likelihood that humans are contributing to the change.
The international panel of scientists predicts the global average temperature could increase by 2 to 11 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100 and that sea levels could rise by up to 2 feet.
Scientists have even speculated that a slight increase in Earth's rotation rate could result, along with other changes. Glaciers, already receding, will disappear. Epic floods will hit some areas while intense drought will strike others. Humans will face widespread water shortages. Famine and disease will increase. Earth’s landscape will transform radically, with a quarter of plants and animals at risk of extinction.
While putting specific dates on these traumatic potential events is challenging, this timeline paints the big picture and details Earth's future based on several recent studies and the longer scientific version of the IPCC report, which was made available to LiveScience.
2007
More of the world's population now lives in cities than in rural areas, changing patterns of land use. The world population surpasses 6.6 billion. (Peter Crane, Royal Botanic Gardens, UK, Science; UN World Urbanization Prospectus: The 2003 Revision; U.S. Census Bureau)
2008
Global oil production peaks sometime between 2008 and 2018, according to a model by one Swedish physicist. Others say this turning point, known as “Hubbert’s Peak,” won’t occur until after 2020. Once Hubbert’s Peak is reached, global oil production will begin an irreversible decline, possibly triggering a global recession, food shortages and conflict between nations over dwindling oil supplies. (doctoral dissertation of Frederik Robelius, University of Uppsala, Sweden; report by Robert Hirsch of the Science Applications International Corporation)
2020
Flash floods will very likely increase across all parts of Europe. (IPCC)
Less rainfall could reduce agriculture yields by up to 50 percent in some parts of the world. (IPCC)
World population will reach 7.6 billion people. (U.S. Census Bureau)
2030
Diarrhea-related diseases will likely increase by up to 5 percent in low-income parts of the world. (IPCC)
Up to 18 percent of the world’s coral reefs will likely be lost as a result of climate change and other environmental stresses. In Asian coastal waters, the coral loss could reach 30 percent. (IPCC)
World population will reach 8.3 billion people. (U.S. Census Bureau)
Warming temperatures will cause temperate glaciers on equatorial mountains in Africa to disappear. (Richard Taylor, University College London, Geophysical Research Letters:)
In developing countries, the urban population will more than double to about 4 billion people, packing more people onto a given city's land area. The urban populations of developed countries may also increase by as much as 20 percent. (World Bank: The Dynamics of Global Urban Expansion)
2040
The Arctic Sea could be ice-free in the summer, and winter ice depth may shrink drastically. Other scientists say the region will still have summer ice up to 2060 and 2105. (Marika Holland, NCAR, Geophysical Research Letters)
2050
Small alpine glaciers will very likely disappear completely, and large glaciers will shrink by 30 to 70 percent. Austrian scientist Roland Psenner of the University of Innsbruck says this is a conservative estimate, and the small alpine glaciers could be gone as soon as 2037. (IPCC)
In Australia, there will likely be an additional 3,200 to 5,200 heat-related deaths per year. The hardest hit will be people over the age of 65. An extra 500 to 1,000 people will die of heat-related deaths in New York City per year. In the United Kingdom, the opposite will occur, and cold-related deaths will outpace heat-related ones. (IPCC)
World population reaches 9.4 billion people. (U.S. Census Bureau)
Crop yields could increase by up to 20 percent in East and Southeast Asia, while decreasing by up to 30 percent in Central and South Asia. Similar shifts in crop yields could occur on other continents. (IPCC)
As biodiversity hotspots are more threatened, a quarter of the world’s plant and vertebrate animal species could face extinction. (Jay Malcolm, University of Toronto, Conservation Biology)
2070
As glaciers disappear and areas affected by drought increase, electricity production for the world’s existing hydropower stations will decrease. Hardest hit will be Europe, where hydropower potential is expected to decline on average by 6 percent; around the Mediterranean, the decrease could be up to 50 percent. (IPCC)
Warmer, drier conditions will lead to more frequent and longer droughts, as well as longer fire-seasons, increased fire risks, and more frequent heat waves, especially in Mediterranean regions. (IPCC)
2080
While some parts of the world dry out, others will be inundated. Scientists predict up to 20 percent of the world’s populations live in river basins likely to be affected by increased flood hazards. Up to 100 million people could experience coastal flooding each year. Most at risk are densely populated and low-lying areas that are less able to adapt to rising sea levels and areas which already face other challenges such as tropical storms. (IPCC)
Coastal population could balloon to 5 billion people, up from 1.2 billion in 1990. (IPCC)
Between 1.1 and 3.2 billion people will experience water shortages and up to 600 million will go hungry. (IPCC)
Sea levels could rise around New York City by more than three feet, potentially flooding the Rockaways, Coney Island, much of southern Brooklyn and Queens, portions of Long Island City, Astoria, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens, lower Manhattan and eastern Staten Island from Great Kills Harbor north to the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. (NASA GISS)
2085
The risk of dengue fever from climate change is estimated to increase to 3.5 billion people. (IPCC)
2100
A combination of global warming and other factors will push many ecosystems to the limit, forcing them to exceed their natural ability to adapt to climate change. (IPCC)
Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels will be much higher than anytime during the past 650,000 years. (IPCC)
Ocean pH levels will very likely decrease by as much as 0.5 pH units, the lowest it’s been in the last 20 million years. The ability of marine organisms such as corals, crabs and oysters to form shells or exoskeletons could be impaired. (IPCC)
Thawing permafrost and other factors will make Earth’s land a net source of carbon emissions, meaning it will emit more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than it absorbs. (IPCC)
Roughly 20 to 30 percent of species assessed as of 2007 could be extinct by 2100 if global mean temperatures exceed 2 to 3 degrees of pre-industrial levels. (IPCC)
New climate zones appear on up to 39 percent of the world’s land surface, radically transforming the planet. (Jack Williams, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)
A quarter of all species of plants and land animals—more than a million total—could be driven to extinction. The IPCC reports warn that current “conservation practices are generally ill-prepared for climate change and effective adaptation responses are likely to be costly to implement.” (IPCC)
Increased droughts could significantly reduce moisture levels in the American Southwest, northern Mexico and possibly parts of Europe, Africa and the Middle East, effectively recreating the “Dust Bowl” environments of the 1930s in the United States. (Richard Seager, Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory, Science)
2200
An Earth day will be 0.12 milliseconds shorter, as rising temperatures cause oceans to expand away from the equator and toward the poles, one model predicts. One reason water will be shifted toward the poles is most of the expansion will take place in the North Atlantic Ocean, near the North Pole. The poles are closer to the Earth’s axis of rotation, so having more mass there should speed up the planet’s rotation. (Felix Landerer, Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Geophysical Research Letters)
Tips for Candid Photos
good to know.
href="http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/11-tips-for-better-candid-photography/" 1. Take your Camera Everywhere
4. Shoot lots
7. Photograph People with People 8. Shoot from the Hip
10. Frame Images with Foreground Elements 11. Take Posed Shots into Candid Territory
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Take Better Photos: 10 easy tips
If the person is within five feet, use the fill-flash mode; beyond five feet, the full-power mode may be required.
Bring your picture to life by simply moving your subject away from the middle of your picture.
Most auto-focus cameras focus on whatever is in the center of the picture. If you don't want a blurred picture, you'll need to first lock the focus with the subject in the middle and then recompose the picture so the subject is away from the middle.
The number one flash mistake is taking pictures beyond the flash's range.
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Saturday, September 8, 2007
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