food safety

Welcome to fall! Even though the weather is beginning to cool and the days are becoming shorter, there are so many fun fall activities to do with your family and friends. Whether you’re planning to do something outdoors like apple picking, hiking or camping; or have a fun cookout or pot luck event such as tailgating at a football game, it’s important to handle your food safely. By following our fall food safety tips, you’ll avoid FALLing ill with foodborne illness.

The FoodKeeper app has received an update! The update adds 85 new food items to the FoodKeeper, including chorizo, prosciutto, edamame, fresh salsa, canned tuna, cereal bars, and salad dressings.

Every year during National Hispanic Heritage Month, we recognize the contributions made by Hispanic and Latino Americans to the United States. Approximately 50.5 million Hispanics live in the U.S., according to the U.S. Census Bureau (PDF, 1.5 MB).

With children going back to school and September being National Food Safety Education Month, now is a great time to learn more about food safety and preventing foodborne illness. One way to stay food safe and to prevent the spread of foodborne illnesses (and any illness for that matter) is to make proper hand washing routine at home and at school.

Back to school marks new beginnings, mixed emotions and all of a sudden…stress! How can you manage your time, juggle more responsibilities and, of course, pack lunch for your picky eater?

Whether it’s a family BBQ, camping, hiking or going to the beach, summer activities can get hot! When food is a part of those activities, keep in mind the old saying: Safety first!

In the summertime, as the weather begins to heat up, our microscopic friends, called bacteria, begin to make uninvited appearances at our cookouts, picnics and even camping trips. Sometimes these little friends can be helpful, but other times, they just make you sick.

Millions of Americans celebrate the Fourth of July with favorite foods grilled in secret barbecue sauces and side dishes made from traditional family recipes. But nothing puts a damper on a celebration like foodborne illness.

Have you ever seen someone handling food in a way that you would never do yourself? Maybe they were preparing raw poultry and then immediately handled lettuce without washing their hands. Or maybe they did wash their hands, but they dried them by wiping them on their pants. You would never do that, right? Then again, maybe there are things we all do that might increase our risk for foodborne illness.

As the school year ends across the country and summer approaches, summer meals are critical in the lives of millions of our nation’s youth, whose risk for food insecurity increases during the summer months when they no longer have access to the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs (NSLP).