be food safe

Oxon Hill Elementary School’s motto for its annual health extravaganza is, “Spring forward with good health.” The motto was put into practice last week at the Maryland school’s health fair, where community organizations, activities and food samples came together to contribute to good health and well-being.

Snow, sleet, ice, and wind can wreak havoc on our every day lives. Winter!  It's a fact of modern life: sometimes the power goes out.

If your power goes out, knowing how to keep food safe can help minimize the loss of food and reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

The USDA’s Food Safety Discovery Zone (FSDZ) concluded its 2010 tour season on November 13, 2010 at the National Science Teachers Association Area Conference, in Baltimore, MD.  “How can I get this to my school and how much does it cost?” was the main question asked by the 2,617 educators who visited the FSDZ during the conference.

In response to teacher Devitta Baker’s online request, the USDA Food Safety Discovery Zone traveled to Gwynn Park Middle School in Brandywine, Maryland this past Tuesday. From 8:30 a.m. until noon, the Discovery Zone staff taught 132 students and 16 teachers and parents how to Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill—just in time to use their new food safety knowledge at lunch.

The USDA’s Food Safety Discovery Zone, in cooperation with FedStrive, made its latest stop at the Health and Human Services’ FreshFarm Market on Wednesday, October 6, 2010 from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. 307 market-goers were provided with information on how to prevent foodborne illnesses using the Be Food Safe campaign’s four easy steps: Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill.

This weekend, USDA’s Food Safety Discovery Zone is stopped at the Iowa State Fair, and the Discovery Zone’s staff of U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Officers, is relishing the opportunities for food safety lessons that the fair environment provides. Daytime temperatures are exceeding the 90-degree mark, sparking discussions about how to keep food safe in hot weather, and the intense crowd means the Discovery Zone’s message is reaching tons of people.

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is applying the final touches on the Be Food Safe exhibit (booth #1704) for the NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 16 – 17 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  The event is free to the public.

Although USDA has its own page on YouTube, we're still looking to find as many ways to get public information out as possible. That's why the Food Safety and Inspection Service is online with a YouTube page of its own at www.youtube.com/USDAFoodSafety.