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MARY A. KEITH

Published: September 25, 2007

What's a tamarillo? I've seen them in the store but have no idea how to use them.

This fruit is originally from South America but now grows in lots of places. The pulp is rather bland so some people like to add sugar, but the skin is bitter.

Scoop out the pulp with a spoon, or dip the fruit in boiling water for a couple of minutes to slip the skins off. You can eat them fresh or make sauce; I've even seen a recipe for a barbeque sauce based on tamarillos.

How long after the expiration date is olive oil good to use? The bottle I have hasn't been opened, and the date says July 31.

Especially if it hasn't been opened, it will be fine for months, probably another year. Air and heat will make it taste strong eventually, but it will still be safe. If you keep it cool and in a dark place, it will be good indefinitely.

The green glass bottles help keep light out, too, so keep it in the green bottle unless there's just a little oil in a big bottle. Then transfer it to a small bottle, so there's less air in the bottle.

What, if any, are the harmful effects of eating the skin of fish?

If the fish is properly cooked, there won't be any bacterial problems. The main concern would be that since skin is often fatty, there might be more pesticide or heavy metal accumulation in the skin. But, as with eating fish in general, if you eat a variety of fish and eat fish only a few times a week, you're not likely to get any dangerous amounts of them either.

What is the nutritional content of Cuban bread? How does it compare with sliced white bread?

A 1-ounce slice of Cuban bread has about 1 gram of fat, 2.5 grams of protein, 15 grams of starch and 11 grams of water. That makes about 80 calories.

A slice of white bread, same size, has 1 gram of fat, 2.4 grams of protein, 14 grams of starch, 10 grams of water and 76 calories. It's the very minor ingredients that make the difference in texture.

Why do fruits spoil from the inside out? I've had bananas, peaches, avocados and pineapples (I don't remember what else) that look fine on the outside, but inside they are brown and mushy. What causes that kind of spoilage?

Usually that kind of damage is caused by "cold chill injury." Somewhere along the line between harvesting and when you cut it open, the fruit got too cold for too long. It could be in the truck or plane, in a warehouse or in your refrigerator.

Different fruits have different tolerances for cold, so it can be hard to keep them all in good shape.

I use a reverse osmosis filter for my drinking water. I've been making extra to store for hurricanes, but now I'm wondering how long it will keep.

Can I store it, or do I need to make fresh?

Water purified by reverse osmosis will be free of microorganisms if the collecting equipment is clean and sanitized. So, how long it will last depends more on what you store it in.

If you use containers that seal tightly, and you scald or sanitize them with bleach, the water will be safe indefinitely. Use water jugs, water bottles for camping or soda bottles. It's hard to get all the protein and fat out of used milk jugs. Glass won't put a plastic-y flavor in the water.

NOTE TO READERS: Apparently my response of a few weeks ago about how to rinse ground beef was not clear.

Rinse the beef over a pan. Catch the water, let it cool, then discard the cooled fat in the garbage.

Do not put it down the drain or you're likely to clog your drain!

Mary A. Keith, a nutrition and health agent at Hillsborough County Extension, can be reached at (813) 744-5519.

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