It’s Friday morning and you get out of bed, ready for another day at work, and you are excited that the pot roast you put in your slow cooker the night before is hot and ready to pack for lunch. You run into the kitchen and notice the light on the slow cooker is out. The flashing 12:00 on the microwave tells you there was a brief power outage overnight. But when did the power go out? The food looks like it cooked all the way and it is still a little warm, can you eat it? Will you get sick?
Experts Here to Help
If you are not sure of the answer, then the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Meat and Poultry Hotline is here for you, and with new extended hours, can answer even more of your food safety questions.
“We receive tens of thousands of calls, emails and chats each year from novice and experienced cooks, to food handlers asking about foodborne bacteria,” said Marianne Gravely, senior technical specialist, who has worked with the hotline since its inception in 1985. “The desire for extended operating hours shows the benefit of this resource, and I’m excited to be able to help more consumers be food safe.”
The Hotline’s Mission
Operated by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) in Washington, D.C., the Meat and Poultry Hotline has been educating consumers for more than three decades. The toll-free telephone service assists in the prevention of foodborne illnesses by answering consumers’ questions about the safe storage, handling and preparation of meat, poultry and egg products.
Extended Hours
Beginning this month, the hotline is keeping its phone, chat and email lines open an additional two hours, providing more time for consumers, especially those on the West Coast, to contact live food specialists during peak hours of the day: from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pacific Time; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time.
If you have a question when the Hotline is not staffed, don’t worry, because the Meat and Poultry Hotline provides answers to thousands of frequently asked questions through Ask Karen, a 24-hour food safety virtual representative.
So what do you think, is the slow cooker pot roast safe to eat? Why guess and put your family and yourself at risk of getting sick? Instead, you can contact the Meat and Poultry Hotline by calling 1-888-674-6854, or visit Ask Karen to chat or email, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pacific Time.
