Hot Topics

• USDA Country of Origin Labeling Rule (357k PDF) for beef, pork, lamb, chicken, goat meat, wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish, perishable agricultural commodities, peanuts, pecans, ginseng, and macadamia nuts
• Food Safety Practices on New Jersey Farms
• Salmonella Contamination in Produce

Germ Alert . . . Safe Food Begins with You!

Have you ever gotten sick from something you ate? It's not a pleasant experience and for at risk individuals--young children, pregnant women, older adults and people with weakened immune systems--the health consequences can be very serious, including hospitalization or death. Research shows that consumers "say" they practice good food handling, but actually make mistakes. Fortunately, people can avoid getting sick or causing illness in others by following simple food handling practices.

Is It Done Yet?

You can't tell by looking. Use a food thermometer to be sure. Studies show that using a food thermometer is the only way to tell if harmful bacteria have been destroyed.

Are You at Risk?

Infants and preschool children, adults 65 years and over, pregnant or nursing women, and immuno-compromised children and adults are considered at high-risk.

• Learn about food safety for high-risk groups

Ask the Expert

• Ask Karen is an online question and answer service provided by the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)
• E-mail inquiries to FSIS at MPHotline.fsis@usda.gov
• Call the Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-800-535-4555; 10 am to 4 pm Eastern Time.

Food Allergies

Food allergies are on the rise. People with food allergies must strictly avoid the allergenic food to prevent what can be a life threatening reaction. Food allergies can result in hives, breathing problems, mouth or other body swelling, anaphylaxis, or death. This condition affects the entire family, schools, restaurants and others. Staying safe requires knowledge and skill related to reading food labels, food preparation, communication and decision-making skills, handling emotions, and empowering children with food allergies to grow in independence while being safe. People can live full and active lives with careful management.

Community and Professional Programs

Contact your local FCHS professional in your Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) Cooperative Extension county office for more information on how to schedule a program for a group or find out where in the community it's being offered. Workshop topics include:

• Handle with Care: Food Safety for Infants and Young Children- An interactive workshop to keep breast milk, formula and food safe for this at-risk population.
• Food Safety at Home - Provides guidance on the critical steps to make sure home prepared food says safe
• Food Safety for Food Servers - Teaches schools & community groups about safe food handling to protect the public
• Food Science and Food Safety Training Programs - Short courses designed to provide skills and insights into the food industry, including food science, safety, and protection
• Living with Food Allergies - Provides practical advice for everyday living for food allergic individuals, parents and caregivers of food allergic children, schools and organizations.
• Emergency Readiness for School Food Service (3MB PowerPoint file)
  Be ready for a crisis by planning ahead. Tips for whether you only feed students or whether the school is used for an emergency shelter.

Publications

• Breaking the Perishable Products Paradigm: Hurdle Technology Solutions from Field to Fork, Food Safety Magazine, August/September, 2008
• Turkey Talk: Answers to Your Thanksgiving Food Safety Questions!
• Handle with Care: Keeping Breast Milk Germ-free
• Handle with Care: Keeping Baby's Formula Germ-free
• Handle with Care: Keep Your Child's Food Safe
• More Food Safety Publications

Web Presentations

• Preventing Listeriosis: A Food Borne Disease - Learn who's at risk for this foodborne disease, what foods might be a problem, and how to handle food to prevent illness.
  • English Presentation
  • Spanish Presentation
  • English Brochure (361k PDF)
  • Spanish Brochure (360k PDF)
• Herbs & Health: Safety & Effectiveness - Learn about the safety and effectiveness of selected herbs.

Exhibits/Displays

Tabletop exhibits with handouts available for loan. Contact your local FCHS professional in your Cooperative Extension county office for more information on how to borrow. Topics include:

• Germ Alert...Safe Food Begins with You! - Photographs showing safe food handling with English & Spanish captions
• Living with Food Allergies - Creates awareness of this issue
• Which Fish Are Safe to Eat?
  Some species of fish contain unsafe levels of contaminants. This exhibit helps pregnant women and high-risk individuals with compromised immune systems make safe choices when eating fish. Includes handouts.
  • Download English Display (263k PowerPoint file)
  • Download English Handout (187k PDF)
  • Download Spanish Display (263k PowerPoint file)
  • Download Spanish Handout (177k PDF)

Links - Food Safety

• Fight BAC!
• Food Safety: Is it Done Yet?
• Thermy™
• Food Safety & Inspection Service (FSIS)

Links - Food Allergies

• Ask Before You Eat!
• Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network

Professional, Restaurant and Food Service Resources & Training

• Handle with Care Curriculum - A curriculum using interactive learning to teach parents and caregivers how to keep breast milk, formula and food safe for infants and young children
• Dealing with Food Allergies in Food Service - workshop for food handlers