Consumers get answers from Ga. Department of Agriculture

Prepared by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, Office of Public Affairs Tommy Irvin, Commissioner. Call Consumer Q's hotline at 1-800-282- 5852.

Consumer alert recall: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, announces a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled product immediately unless otherwise instructed. Name of Product: Gourd Candles; Units: About 68,000; Distributor: Pottery Barn of San Francisco, Calif.; Hazard: The gourd candles can have excessive flame height and could fail to self-extinguish when burning down to the bottom of the candle, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers; Incidents/Injuries: None reported; Description: This recall involves five styles of individual gourd-shaped candles and a set of eight mini-gourd candles. The style number for the candles can be found on the price ticket, receipt or shipping invoice: Style numbers: 6249403, 6278204, 6841803, 8119265, 8119331, 8117798; Sold at: Pottery Barn stores nationwide, the Pottery Barn catalog and PotteryBarn.com from September 2006 through October 2006 for between $12 and $24; Manufactured in: Vietnam; Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using these candles and return them to Pottery Barn for a full refund. Customers who purchased the candles via catalog or potterybarn.com can call the toll-free number for a refund (including shipping); Consumer contact: For additional information, contact Pottery Barn toll-free at 888-922-9245 between 7 a.m. and 12 a.m. ET Monday through Sunday or visit the firm's website at www.potterybarn.com.

Q: How can I tell if the firewood I'm buying has been fully seasoned?

A: Most of the time it can be difficult to tell if firewood has been fully seasoned. And, even fully seasoned wood contains an amount of water equal in weight to about 15 percent of the dry weight of the wood itself. However, most consumer complaints concern firewood that is not seasoned at all rather than not seasoned enough. To check the seasoning of firewood you need to look at it. The surface of newly split or freshly cut wood will show a definite wet center, perhaps with drier borders. If the bark is difficult to separate from the wood, the odds are good that it probably is not totally dried. The best way to purchase firewood is by word of mouth. If your neighbors or friends are satisfied with the wood they purchased from a firewood

dealer, your chances of getting what you want, seasoned dry wood, are better than taking a chance on a dealer you don't know.

Q: What is the safest way to thaw a frozen turkey?

A: In the refrigerator is the best way to thaw a frozen turkey, but you must plan ahead. A large frozen turkey requires at least 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds of weight. In other words, it will take about 4 or 5 days to thaw a 20-pound turkey. Using cold water baths is faster than refrigerator thawing, but the turkey will require more attention. It should be placed in leakproof packaging or a plastic bag and submerge in cold tap water. The water should be changed every 30 minutes. This method will thaw a 20- pound turkey in about 10 hours or 30 minutes for each pound. If a microwave is used to thaw a turkey, it must be cooked immediately because some areas of the bird may begin to cook during the thawing process. Partially cooked food will allow any bacteria present to grow because it has not reached the temperatures at which the bacteria would be destroyed.

Q: There is always a lot of information on how to safely cook poultry products and hamburgers, but what about beef and pork roasts. What are the safe cooking temperatures for these food products?

A: A beef roast cooked to 145 degrees F in the center can be considered safe since the exterior of the roast would have reached a temperature high enough to destroy bacteria, unless it is a rolled roast or one that has been mechanically tenderized. The only way to determine if a roast that is pink in the center has reached the safe temperature, you must use a food thermometer. Pork roasts are safe when cooked to 160 degrees F. Although the center of the roast may be still somewhat pink, even pork chops may have a trace of \pink color at this temperature. always use a meat thermometer.

If you have questions or problems with services or products regulated by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, you may write the Office of Public Affairs, 19 Martin Luther King Drive, Room 226, Atlanta, Georgia 30334 or call 1-800-282-5852.