Content by Curtis Braun

Six canned energy drinks on a dark slate.

How to Make a Safe Ready to Drink Energy Drink

When making a ready-to-drink energy drink, it is important to consider how the product will be made and processed.

Several bottles of different hot sauces arranged on a counter.

How to Make a Safe Hot Sauce

Hot sauces can be made to with a combination of several different ingredients to give unique flavors and heat that consumers enjoy. There are many considerations that should be made on how hot sauces are processed, formulated and packaged.

A woman preparing a jar of pickled cucumbers in a kitchen.

Modifying Canning Recipes

Understanding how swapping ingredients, adding ingredients, increasing or decreasing ingredients and making changes to processing plays a vital role in ensuring that home-canned products are safe.

Bottles of maple syrup arranged on a table.

Selling Maple Syrup at a Farmer’s Market

Maple syrup is a delicious food that goes well with many foods. There has been some increased interest in understanding how to process maple syrup safely in order to sell it at a farmer’s market or at retail.

Testing Dial Pressure Canner Gauges

For accuracy before use, it is recommended that dial gauges get tested each year. Gauges that read high cause under-processing and may result in unsafe food.

Five jars of canned stewed tomatoes sitting on a gray kitchen towel with a gray background.

Food Safety Product Evaluation Request Form

Form to request a Food Safety Product Evaluation

A man in a pickup truck picking up a bag of farmers market food at a pickup table being serviced by two women in personal protective gear.

Farmers Markets and COVID-19

Farmers markets are a very important sector in South Dakota. The COVID-19 pandemic has raised a great deal of concern on trying to keep these markets open, while providing a safe environment for consumers to shop. This article is a guide to help farmers markets set up their operation in a manner that will best protect consumers and allow for continuation of operations.

Two workers in protective clothing working in a commercial kitchen.

Food Safety and COVID-19

Many misconceptions have been brought up during the recent COVID-19 pandemic. These concerns have included questions ranging about symptoms, preventive measures, treatment, mortality rate, route of transmission and many more.

Almonds, a tablespoon of oil, and almond butter sitting on a countertop

How to Make a Safe Nut Butter

During the last few years the popularity of plant-based butters has increased considerably. These plant-based nut butters have proven to be good sources of protein, fiber, essential fatty acids and other nutrients and may include soy butter, almond butter, pistachio butter, cashew butter, sesame butter, and so on.

A hand grabbing a loaf of bread from a shelf labeled "gluten-free"

Gluten Free Product Claim Guidance

While “gluten-free” is a voluntary claim that manufacturers may choose to use in the labeling of their foods, FDA’s gluten-free food labeling rule specifies what the claim actually means on a food label.