More Tips for Saving Food

TIPS FOR SAVING HALF A JAR OF SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Jack Bragen

Do you often cook for only one or two people?  What do you do with that half jar of spaghetti sauce that was left after you made a pot of frozen ravioli? 
     First of all, get a paper towel and wipe sauce off of the rim (inside and outside) and the inside of the lid of the jar.  Screw the lid back on.  Get a permanent marker pen and write today’s date on an available part of the label of the jar.  Put it in the refrigerator.  You can store this for up to two weeks, only if you follow the procedure I will outline for using the rest of the sauce. 
     For using the second half jar of spaghetti sauce; Check the date that you wrote on the jar.  Make certain that not too much time has elapsed, such as, no more than three weeks.  Open the jar and make certain that you do not see any colonies of mold.  (If mold colonies are present, they will be visible at the top surface.) Smell the contents of the jar and be certain that it smells OK.  If you see mold, and/or if the smell is off whatsoever, stop there and immediately discard jar of sauce.  If the sauce passes both tests, proceed to the next step which follows:
     Pour contents of jar into a pot, and take it to a full boil for at least ten minutes.  This will kill any microbes that were growing in the sauce. 
     If you follow these steps exactly, it is my opinion that you will not get food poisoning.  I have done this numerous times and haven’t gotten ill.