Get Super Bowl food safety tips from the USDA to make your party the best ever. When you are entertaining, food safety is more important than ever. And you have to consider the health issues and ages of all of the people you invited. If you are getting takeout or having food delivered, make sure that it is quickly refrigerated or placed in the oven until your guests arrive. Pizza, chicken wings, sliders, chili and other favorites can't stay at room temperature for more than two hours, no matter how hot they were to begin with, or bacteria will grow. The danger zone is between 40°F to 140°F. In that zone, bacterial counts can double every 20 minutes. And the same rule applies to chilled foods. Get them back into the fridge after two hours; that time shrinks to one hour if the … [Read more...]
FDA Releases Allergen, Food Safety, and Plant Based Labels
FDA releases allergen, food safety, and plant based labeling guidelines to help industry understand and comply with regulations. The food safety guidelines cover low moisture ready to eat foods. Food Allergens This guidance covers food allergens, including questions and answers about food allergen labeling requirements, the labeling of tree nuts, sesame, milk, eggs, incidental additives, highly refined oils, dietary supplement products, and certain specific packing and labeling situations, such as individual units within a multiunit package. The FD&C Act requires that any food that is made from two or more ingredients must declare each ingredient by its common or usual name. But consumers may not be familiar with those names, and may not recognize that the ingredients contain … [Read more...]
Thanksgiving Turkey Safety Tips From the USDA
Get Thanksgiving turkey safety tips from the USDA, including how to thaw and cook the bird, for a safe holiday. The biggest meal of the year comes with special food safety issues, especially regarding the turkey. The first step is thawing the turkey, if you purchased a frozen bird. Never ever thaw turkey or any meats at room temperature. Turkey can be thawed in the fridge; allow 24 hours for every four pounds of turkey. That means if you bought a 16 pound turkey, you need to allow four full days for thawing. After the turkey is thawed using this method, it can be kept, uncooked, in the fridge for two days. You can also thaw the turkey in cold water. Allow 30 minutes of thawing per pound, and submerge the turkey in its original wrapping. Change the water eery 30 minutes until the … [Read more...]
Halloween Food Safety Tips From the FDA
It's almost Halloween! Get these Halloween food safety tips from the FDA to keep your kids safe. Once the costumes are ready there are some things for you to think about. First of all, make sure your kids eat a healthy snack or meal before they head out trick or treating. Tell them they should not eat any of the candy or treats they receive until they get home and you can look them over. Children should be told not to accept or eat any homemade treats. Only accept commercially wrapped, inspected treats. And when they get home, look over the candy carefully for any signs of tampering, including unusual appearance, discoloration, pinholes, tears, or rips in the wrappers. Throw away anything that looks suspicious. If your child has a food allergy, check the label to make sure the … [Read more...]
Flood Waters Contain Chemicals, Pollutants, Bacteria, and Viruses
With Hurricane Milton poised to hit Florida tomorrow, and people still cleaning up from Helene, there are some things you need to know about flood water. Drowning and building damage are not the only risks from floods. And this water is not just dirty. Flood waters contain chemicals, pollutants, bacteria, toxins, and viruses that can make you sick. And eating food or drinking water contaminated with these waters can be very dangerous. Even containers that you think are sealed are not impervious to flood water. Charlotte County issued a bulletin about these dangers. First, if you are under a boil water notice, use commercially boiled water for mixing baby food formula. Wash your hands with soap and either disinfected or boiled and cooled water, especially before preparing or … [Read more...]
FDA Has Started a Streamlined Food Complaints Program
Have you ever wanted to tell the FDA about a problem with food? The FDA has started a streamlined food complaints program to make the process easier. The complaints can be about an illness, an injury, an allergic reaction, concerns about a dietary supplement, or any concern about defects in the safety or quality of an FDA-regulated food. This is part of the Human Foods Program. Until this new program was initiated, consumer complaints were directed to Consumer Complaint Coordinators in the FDA's Office of Regulatory Affairs. The phone numbers associated with those coordinators will no longer be active. Instead, consumers can call 1-888-SAFEFOOD (1-800-723-3663). Then, officials with the Human Foods Program will receive, triage, and evaluate complaints, and the new Office of … [Read more...]
Food Safety Emergency Preparedness Before a Storm
Get food safety emergency preparedness tips before a storm from the USDA. September is National Food Safety Education Month and emergency Preparedness Month. And with Hurricane Helene bearing down on the southeastern United States, it's time to get ready. For a chart about how to prepare, see Food Safety Before An Emergency. Knowing how to keep your food and water safe will minimize danger from spoiled food and reduce the risk of foodborne illness. It's a good idea to always be ready, but when a storm watch or warning is issued, start to prepare. First, fill empty spaces in your freezer with frozen plastic jugs of water or bags of ice. They can serve as fresh water as needed. And freeze items you don't need right away. Fill jugs with fresh water and fill your bathtub as well. … [Read more...]
Back to School Meal Prep to Keep Your Family Safe
Get great and easy back to school meal prep ideas and tips to keep your family safe from Foodsafety.gov, including how to pack safe lunches. It's not difficult; you just need to pay attention to certain steps. First of all, make a shopping list before you go to the store. Know which foods and recipes you'll be making for the week, then look in your pantry, fridge, and freezer to find out what ingredients you already have and what you'll need. When you are shopping, pick up perishable and frozen foods last so they stay cold longer. Separate raw meat and poultry products from veggies and fruit, putting them in bags to catch any raw juices. And make sure all of your food is in the fridge or freezer within two hours of checking out. When you start to prepare food, the first thing … [Read more...]
Back to School Lunchbox Safety Tips From the USDA
Get back to school lunchbox safety tips from the USDA to keep your kids safe and healthy all year. The most important thing to remember is to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. You can accomplish this by using insulated soft-sided lunch bags, two cold sources, and insulated containers for hot foods. It is not safe to pack lunches in a paper bag. Remember the the danger zone is between 40°F and 140°F. Food should be colder or hotter than that range. In the danger zone, bacteria can double in food in 20 minutes. And pack a disposable wipe, or remind your child to wash their hands before eating. For cold lunches, use a soft sided lunch bag and include at least two cold sources. You can use two frozen gel backs that are at least 5 inches by 3 inches, or combine a frozen gel pack … [Read more...]
Stay Food Safe While Shopping at the Farmers Market
Learn how to stay food safe while shopping Farmers Markets with tips from the USDA. These markets are available seasonally and year round across the country. You can buy fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, and beverages, as well as prepared foods in some states. The first tip is to watch the temperature. Perishable foods should be out of refrigeration no longer than two hours, and that time shrinks to one hour if the ambient air temperature is 90*F or higher. Bacteria can double in a food in 20 minutes when the food is not refrigerated. Look for vendors who display perishable items like soft cheeses and raw meats on ice, in a cooler, or with refrigeration. And if you intend to buy these foods, bring an insulated bag or cooler with cold sources such as gel packs, ice, or frozen … [Read more...]
