CSA News Issue 55 Summer 2005

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Fast facts

The can opener was invented 48 years after cans were introduced.
Wine is sold in tinted bottles because it spoils when exposed to light.
An onion, apple and potato all have the same taste. The differences in flavour are caused by their smell.
Botanically speaking, the banana is an herb and the tomato is a fruit.
A person can live without food for about a month, but only for about a week without water.
Unless food is mixed with saliva, you cannot taste it.
An ounce of chocolate contains about 20 mg of caffeine.

Condiments Can Go Bad, Too!

We all have a bottle of ketchup in our fridge that seems to last forever?but should it? Many people keep condiments around much longer than they should, not realizing that they can go bad just like any other food.

So, how long should you keep things in the cupboard or the fridge? Here's a chart to help you.

Condiment	Before opening	After Opening (stored in fridge)
Salad dressing	10-12 months	3 months
Ketchup	12 months	1-2 months
Mustard	2 years	6-8 months
Mayonnaise	3-4 months	3 months
Peanut butter	6-9 months	2-3 months
Pickles	1 year	1-2 months
Soy sauce	3 years	6-9 months

Distribution of waiting times for non-emergency surgeries
	Less than 1	1 to 3 months	Longer than 3
	%
Newfoundland and Labrador	50	40	10 ^{† *}
Prince Edward Island	45	45	^{† †}
Nova Scotia	39	37	24 ^†
New Brunswick	41	40	19 ^†
Québec	34	51*	15 ^†
Ontario	40	44	16
Manitoba	41	46	13 ^†
Saskatchewan	37	35	29 *
Alberta	49	38	13 ^†
British Columbia	43	33*	24
Canada	41	42	17

Based on population reporting waiting times for non-emergency surgeries accessed in past 12 months.
Analysis excludes non-response ("I don't know", "not stated", and "refusal").
^†Interpret with caution (high sampling variability).
^{† †} Data not provided due to extreme sampling variability or small sample size.
* Statistically significant difference between Canada and provincial-level estimates (p < 0.05).

Source: Statistics Canada, June 2004

Table of Contents Issue 55