As college students, quick and easy meals are a typical go-to, but is the food we are eating as safe as we think it is? If you are not sure, Iowa State’s AnswerLine is an easy resource here on campus to give you all the answers you are looking for.

AnswerLine provides information and resources for consumers with home and family questions.

Elizabeth Meimann, AnswerLine coordinator, stated that two-thirds of their phone calls pertain to food safety.

“We will get people calling about leftovers, or things they find in the refrigerator that have been there a frightening long time,” Meimann said.

A popular food item AnswerLine receives calls about is leftover pizza. How long is too long to keep an easy leftover?

The best way to tell if leftover pizza is bad is by the odor and the look. If you notice an off flavor or appearance, throw it out. Leftover pizza is actually only safe for three to four days refrigerated, but it is good one to two months frozen.

Food safety may be the majority of the topics AnswerLine receives calls for, but that is not close to being all. They also receive calls about food preparation, food preservation, ingredient substitution, cleaning, consumer management, home environment, household equipment and even child development.

For example, Meimann said, “If you put your brand new red shirt in the washer with your whites, and then now have everything pink, we can try to help you get rid of that pink color.”

When students were asked about AnswerLine, they weren’t aware of the useful resource, but had positive things to say.

“I had not heard of AnswerLine before, but I think it would be very beneficial to college students whether you live in a dorm, apartment or house,” said Morgan Muller, freshman in agricultural business. “I think it sounds like a very valuable resource”.

Hannah Isabell, junior in liberal studies, said, “I think AnswerLine is a really cool service that is offered to everyone for free”.

Students can call AnserLine at 1-800-262-3804 anytime Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.

“We do not think that anything anybody calls us for is a stupid or silly call. If you do not know the answer to something, then you need to ask the question,” Meimann said. “We could be someone that you would not be embarrassed to ask.”