meat and poultry hotline

If you’re planning to host friends and family on Super Bowl Sunday, remember that no party is complete without a game plan for leftovers. And a good game plan starts with the end in mind. Strategizing now can help you prevent foodborne illness and reduce food waste later.

The rules of a football game are clear, but many don’t know game-day food safety rules. Help your guests stay healthy by tackling offensive bacteria that could be in possession of your food. Be ready to intercept foodborne illness and protect the serving line with a defense of food safety tips.

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, and you may be spending a lot of time with family, friends, and eating tons of great food. Thanksgiving can be busy, especially with all the preparation and planning, but everyone can have a food safe turkey-day by keeping these four simple steps in mind.

The debate on whether or not to wash raw poultry is a fierce one, but until recently it was not a debate backed by science. A recent study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) further demonstrates that individuals are putting themselves at risk of illness when they wash or rinse raw poultry.

At this time of year, many community groups, volunteer organizations, work places and other groups celebrate Thanksgiving with a potluck meal. When cooking for a large group, it is important to keep in mind the needs of your guests. Do any of your guests have food allergies or dietary restrictions? Could some be at higher risk for foodborne illness because they may be transplant recipients, cancer patients or diabetics? Pregnant women and seniors are also at higher risk.

Everyone is busy these days, but there’s no busy like holiday busy. Now is the time to start making your plans so that your Thanksgiving dinner will be safe and stress-free.

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.

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.