FDA and USDA Offering Updated Food Safety Guides Via Toll Free

LSG Sky Chefs, an Orlando-based company, issued a major recall on ready-to-eat chicken in late July. The product in question, a ready-to-eat chipotle-seasoned chicken wrap, was found to contain diced onions that were the subject of a recall imposed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) due to possible contamination of listeria monocytogenes. The recalled chicken products were said to include approximately 735 pounds of food in total.

In the wake of these events, the United States Department of Agriculture as well as the FDA has partnered up to update their food safety guides. The guides, available for order through a toll free number are six booklets containing updated food safety advice with tailored assistance for the elderly, transplant recipients, pregnant women, and those suffering from conditions such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes, cancer, and other diseases/conditions which elevate the risk of foodborne illnesses. “Everyone from farmers to food manufacturers to food preparers in the home has a role in food safety,” says Michael Taylor, FDA Deputy Commissioner for Foods. “It is important that consumers, particularly those who are at higher risk for foodborne illnesses, have information they can use to do their part in preventing illness by properly selecting and preparing foods.”

Each booklet is approximately twenty-four pages and contains practical guidance, easy-to-read charts, and illustrations with descriptions breaking down foodborne illness risks for each group with a guide for treating symptoms. You can order the books for your home, office or organization by calling the USDA Meat and Poultry vanity toll free number at 1-888-MPHotline. This significant public health measure was conducted by President Obama to better safeguard the food supply with a brand new Public Health Information System to provide better information to consumers regarding their nutrition. For more information regarding these changes please visit www.foodsafety.gov.