Consumers get answers from Georgia 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 Recall: Batteries Used With Power Tools Recalled by Milwaukee Electric Tool Co. Due to Laceration Hazard. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumer should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. Name of Product: Milwaukee Power Plus, Chicago Pneumatic, and Extractor 14.4 and 18 volt 2.4 Ah NiCd battery packs; Units: About 1 million; Manufacturer/Importer: Milwaukee Electric Tool Co., of Brookfield, Wis. Hazard: If a vent on the battery cell is damaged or compromised during use, the battery can explode and pose a laceration hazard to consumers. Incidents/Injuries: Milwaukee Electric Tool Co. has received 35 reports of incidents, including 11 injuries from battery packs exploding while in use. Injuries include minor cuts, bruises and some hearing loss. Description: The recalled batteries are used to power drills, flashlights, wrenches and Extractor windshield glass removers. The recall includes 14.4 and 18 volt 2.4 Ah NiCd Milwaukee Power Plus, Chicago Pneumatic, and Extractor battery packs manufactured between July 1999 and February 2004. The brand name can be found on a label on most battery packs. However, some 14.4 volt 2.4Ah packs did not have "Power Plus" on the label. The battery packs were sold both with tool kits and as individual battery packs. Battery packs manufactured after February 2004 are not included in this recall. Sold by: Home centers, hardware stores, industrial distributors and vehicle service distributors nationwide from July 1999 through 2005. Manufactured in: Mexico; Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled battery packs. Consumers should contact the Milwaukee Electric Tool Co. to determine if they have one of the recalled batteries. The company will provide a free replacement battery pack for consumers with recalled units. Consumer Contact: For more information, contact Milwaukee Electric Tool Co. at (800) 729-3878 between 7 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at http:// www.milwaukeetool.com.

Q: Is it ok to partially cook pork chops, refrigerate them and complete the cooking process later?

A: Never brown or partially cook pork, then refrigerate and finish cooking later, because any bacteria present wouldn't have been destroyed. It is safe to partially pre-cook or microwave pork immediately before transferring it to the hot grill to finish cooking.

Q: How can I be sure that I am

safely handling pork?

A: Raw pork. Select pork just before checking out at the supermarket register. Put packages of raw pork in disposable plastic bags (if available) to contain any leakage which could cross contaminate cooked foods or produce. Take pork home immediately and refrigerate it at 40 degrees F; use within 3 to 5 days or freeze. Ready-prepared pork. For fully cooked take-out pork dishes such as Chinese Food or barbecued ribs, be sure they are hot at pick-up. Use cooked pork within two hours (one hour if air temperature is above 90 degrees F) or refrigerate it at 40 degrees F or less in shallow, covered containers. Eat within 3 to 4 days, either cold or reheated to 165 degrees F (hot and steaming). It is safe to freeze ready prepared pork dishes. For best quality, use within 3 months.

Q: Our family will be taking a vacation road trip. Is it safe to take food on a lengthy road trip?

A: If you are traveling with perishable food, place it in a cooler with ice or freezer packs. When carrying drinks, consider packing them in a separate cooler so the food cooler is not opened frequently. Have plenty of ice or frozen gel-packs on hand before starting to pack food. If you take perishable foods along (for example, meat poultry, eggs, and salads) for eating on the road or to cook at your vacation spot, plan to keep everything on ice in your cooler. Pack safely… Pack perishable foods directly from the refrigerator or freezer into the cooler. Meat and poultry may be packed while it is still frozen; in that way it stays colder longer. Also, a full cooler will maintain its cold temperatures longer than one that is partially filled. Be sure to keep raw meat and poultry wrapped separately from cooked foods, or foods meant to be eaten raw such as fruits. If the cooler is only partially filled, pack the remaining space with more ice or with fruit and some non-perishable foods such as peanut better and jelly and perhaps some hard-like Cheddar cheeses. For long trips to the shore or the mountains, take along two coolers- one for the day's immediate food needs, such as lunch, drinks or snacks, and the other for perishable foods to be used later in the vacation. Limit the items the cooler is opened. Open and close the lid quickly.

Q: Is it legal for a food store to charge an additional ten percent at the register?

A: If the establishment is determined to be a "cost plus" operation, it is legal as long as signs are posted reflecting the pricing policy and it is indicated in their advertising.

If you have questions or problems with products or services regulated by the Georgia Department of Agriculture write the Consumer Services office, 19 Martin Luther King Drive, Room 226, Atlanta, Georgia 30334