food safety

Quit food safety confusion cold turkey this Thanksgiving! While this holiday is a great time to spend with family and friends, it’s also time to bust some myths.

A meal preparation study (PDF, 1.3 MB) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) revealed that only 55% of people use a food thermometer to verify if their food is safe to consume, despite 88% of participants reporting that they own a thermometer. Instead, participants in the study relied on visual cues such as color, firmness and time. But are visual cues enough to prevent foodborne illness?

Hiking and camping are perfect Labor Day weekend activities, and there’s something special about enjoying a meal while admiring nature. To ensure your experience stays foodborne illness free, follow these food safety tips.

More than 50 million youth are expected to attend U.S. schools this fall, and a good portion will be taking their own lunches to school. To help parents and caregivers prepare to-go meals safely, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers some advice.

Meat may dominate the grill, but the market for plant-based meat alternatives is growing. That growth is due, in part, to a belief that plant-based products are less susceptible to pathogens like E. coli and Salmonella.

As you plan your Fourth of July celebration, remember these 10 food safety tips to keep your barbecue free from foodborne illness:

Imagine a global sickness that spreads faster than HIV and causes nearly as many deaths as malaria.

There’s nothing better than gathering around the grill to prepare a good meal. Don’t forget the rules of food safety this grilling season.

When the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a new effort to reduce Salmonella in poultry, we led with the numbers. The number of illnesses due to Salmonella has not decreased over the last two decades. Year after year, people have become ill with Salmonella infections at roughly the same rate. Each case of foodborne illness represents someone whose life was impacted. And among the most vulnerable — children, the elderly, and those with underlying health issues — those impacts can be serious, leading to physical, emotional, and financial harm. These are the people who are always top of mind for me and who motivate me to come to work each day.

Springtime is here, and families across America are eager to gather around the table to commemorate holidays such as Easter, Passover or Eid al-Fitr. Though traditions may differ, these holidays have one thing in common — delicious food! Keep your feast memorable by following these food safety tips.