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| Food Safety Web Resources | May 2001 |
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Return to Science and Our Food Supply Menu Page
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in collaboration with the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) have created "Science and Our Food Supply," an innovative, interactive supplementary curriculum for use in middle level and high school science classes. As part of the material for that curriculum, the list of government and non-government food safety web site below have been developed.
Disclaimer: These links are provided for your information only and do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations, their programs or the contents of their web site by either the Food and Drug Administration or the National Science Teachers Association.
The web sites below are listed alphabetically by topic.
So you want to be a scientist? Learn all about what it takes to make it happen by checking out these exciting interviews! Professionals working in a variety of food safety careers tell all about their jobs, exciting discoveries, and reveal their secrets for success!
This web page offers insight into working in the world of science. You can read articles and features, catch up on interviews with famous scientists, or simply rifle through the resources. Choose the "Food & Farming" section for some food-related careers.
Visit USDA's Online Photography Center. You'll view vivid, color images of bacteria, the inside of meat processing plants, and people working in the field of food safety.
Your guide to current Federal job openings. Sections on student and summer employment options are also featured.
Preventing foodborne illness remains a major public health challenge. This site, sponsored by the CDC, is devoted to food safety.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Food Information Line: (888) SAFE FOOD (toll-free)
FDA's web site is your credible source for the latest in food safety information. Here are a few pages to check out.
FDA proposes these measures in the food industry to reduce the risk of illness from disease-causing microbes in
unpasteurized fruit and vegetable juices.
More than 3,500 additives have been approved by FDA. Check them out at this page.
This 400-page reference guide instructs restaurants, grocery stores, and institutions on how to prevent foodborne illness. FDA publishes the Food Code every two years. Stay tuned to this site for the 2001 version.
This is your link to other credible government food safety sites. Be sure to visit these sections: "Kids, Teens & Educators," "News & Safety Alerts," and "Foodborne Pathogens."
U.S. Department of Agriculture's Meat and Poultry Hotline:
(800) 535-4555 or (202) 720-3333 (Washington, DC area).
The number for the hearing impaired is TTY (800) 256-7072.
Email: mphotline.fsis@usda.gov
www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/programs/mphotlin.htm
This web site is your connection to food safety for handling, preparing, and serving meat, poultry, and processed eggs.
The mission of USDA's Meat Science Research Laboratory is to conduct basic and applied research on beef, pork, lamb, poultry and other muscle foods in order to enhance their quality and safety and develop technologies for evaluating, maintaining, and improving the quality and safety of meat and meat products. Find out more about meat safety by clicking on "Research Programs" and "Meat Safety."
Learn more about the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services role in protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves.
You can read about Healthy People 2010, a statement of national health objectives for the United States. The
food safety objective of this initiative is to reduce foodborne illness caused by key foodborne pathogens and educate
consumers about good food safety practices.
This database is a compilation of consumer and food worker educational materials developed by a wide variety of groups including local, state, and federal agencies, universities, and private industry. Computer software, audiovisuals, posters, games, teaching guides, and educational programs in other languages are presented.
Did you know that ground beef may remain pink at temperatures above 160° F? Visit this site and find out why!
At this site, students can select their favorite food and see how many different countries it comes from, or they can select a country and see how many foods we get from it. The site contains 211 commodity groups and more than 250 countries and regions.
A helpful Q & A on foodborne illness and food preparation. Be sure to see the food safety feature concerning raw sprouts.
Here are answers to your most frequently asked questions about foodborne illness.
Find out all about milk production in the United States. Students will discover some interesting facts in the FAQ section on milk and dairy production.
The Center for Consumer Research focuses on consumer attitudes toward food safety and quality. Their site currently features web pages with information on biotechnology and food irradiation.
This page highlights who is responsible for food recalls of meat and poultry products and explains how the recall process is conducted by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.
Use this food safety module for conducting research. The lessons include: "What's Bugging You?" (an overview food safety), "What are Consumer Control Points?" (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point), "Where is the Danger Zone?" (the importance of time and temperature in keeping food safe) and Who is FAT TOM? (factors affecting the growth of foodborne pathogens).
This web site offers a wealth of educational materials and information on food safety.
September is National Food Safety Education Month,TM one of the goals supported by the National Food Safety Initiative. The goals of the month are to reinforce food safety education and training among restaurant and foodservice workers and to educate the public about handling and preparing food properly at home. Visit the site for activities for celebrating food safety all year 'round.
Learn all about the pasteurization process, including the history of pasteurization and various methods that are used today.
At this site, you'll find important information on food safety, nutrition, and consumer affairs. It also provides links to other valuable sources of information on food-related issues.
ThermyTM is a USDA/FSIS education campaign that promotes the use of food thermometers. This site features educational materials on food thermometers. Educators are encouraged to copy and distribute the materials.
In the home, food safety concerns revolve around three main functions: food storage, food handling, and cooking. Take this test to see how well you're doing in each category. Then read on to learn how you can make meals and snacks from your kitchen safe.
This page features an illustration of a kitchen. Clicking different areas in the kitchen will highlight the six food safety control points that consumers should be aware of.
Babysitting may be the first job young people ever have, so it's important for them to know how to safely handle food. Young children are also vulnerable to foodborne illness. This page offers invaluable tips for keeping infants and children safe from foodborne illness.
Why is food safety important and how can you be sure your kitchen and the foods you prepare in it are safe? Visit this page to find out.
Food safety means knowing how to avoid spreading bacteria, being aware of safe shopping, and more. Check out this page for handy tips on safe food preparation.
This web page presents safe, simple food handling practices for keeping the meals you prepare at home safe.
This page offers food safety tips for dining out.
This page explains 10 steps you can take to prevent foodborne illness.
A true/false quiz you can use to test students' knowledge about food safety or for conducting research.
Have students take this quiz and see how much they already know about food safety.
This site presents a Bad Bug Book and food safety facts and quizzes, including a quiz for serving up a safe barbecue.
Created as a result of a collaboration between the Food and Drug Administration and the National Science Teachers Association, this fun, interactive game is based on the popular TV game show, "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." The game begins with a million bacteria. The object of the game is to lose bacteria. Contestants have a choice between an interactive, online game, which requires a JavaScript-enabled browser, or 5 different printer-friendly games to use in the classroom.
When you have germs on your hands, you can pass them to other people without even knowing it and make people sick. Or those same germs can make you sick by hitching a ride into your body each time you touch your food or put your hands in your mouth. This page offers important safety tips for handwashing.
A useful, historical explanation on how handwashing is important for preventing the spread of disease.
The fact sheets featured at this web site cover issues relating to food irradiation, nutritional quality of irradiated foods, irradiation and food safety, packaging of irradiated foods, safety of irradiation facilities, food irradiation costs, irradiated foods and the consumer, and more.
This page provides information about the irradiation process. The history of the process is outlined, and food irradiation terms and resources are featured.
A list of links to other government sites on food irradiation.
Check out this page to learn more about food irradiation. Plus, how it affects foods and how consumers feel about the process.
FDA discusses the safety advantages of the food irradiation process.
A list of alphabetical links to information on foodborne pathogens and disease-causing microbes.
Don't miss out on a wealth of facts and information. This site is microbiology at your fingertips!
This site, sponsored by the American Society for Microbiology, is full of activities and teaching resources about microbes. It features some foodborne microbes, as well as a variety of other pathogens.
FDA provides basic facts about pathogenic, foodborne microorganisms and natural toxins.
This web site provides information on microorganisms. The "What the Heck Is" section includes facts on E. coli, genetic engineering, and viruses.
This site features information and colorful images of a variety of microorganisms (some images actually move!). Students will learn all about bacteria and how they grow. The site also contains links to other sites related to bacteria.
This site is chock-full of information on composting. The "Science and Engineering" page presents many composting experiments that students can try in the classroom. The "Composting in Schools" page features a quiz, glossary, and a Q & A.
This site contains a collection of interactive learning modules about modern biology. Students will learn about bacterial conjugation, how bacteria and viruses cause infection, and more. The Virtual Bacterial ID Lab includes an "Ask a Scientist" section, interviews with scientists, and teacher resources.
This site is geared toward young people and includes general information on mighty microbes. Students should especially check out the "Bacteria in the Cafeteria" section for engaging activities.
Students can take a virtual field trip, which features colorful images of disease-causing microorganisms. They can also track disease outbreaks around the world. A useful glossary of terms is also featured.
Did you know that bacteria can leave fossils behind? The oldest fossils currently known are 3.5 billion years old! Check out this site to learn more about the fossil record, life, history, ecology, and morphology of bacteria.
Get a close-up look at the intriguing, mysterious, and sometimes deadly world of microbes. Visitors will view images of foodborne pathogens: Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, and Salmonella Typhimurium, as well as other microbes and learn about the history of some of mankind's most devastating diseases. Plus, don't miss the Did You Know? facts and a 20-question microbe quiz.
This site presents information on various microbes with the positive message that bacteria and other microbes can help us. It uses a creative zoo theme for easy maneuvering throughout the site.
Test yourself with these challenging questions (answers are included) related to microbiology.
This page gives you the lowdown on germs and how to get rid of them.
This collection of teaching materials, developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, introduces students to epidemiology, the science used by disease detectives everywhere. It teaches them about public health and provides the tools for instructing students in the principles and practices of epidemiology, including the scientific method of inquiry, basic biostatistics, and outbreak investigation. The exercises allow students to use what they've learned to solve real outbreaks.
Since 1973, CDC has maintained a collaborative surveillance program for collection and periodic reporting of data on the occurrence and causes of foodborne disease outbreaks in the United States. Visit this site for the latest information on outbreaks and foodborne disease in the United States.
This web site is an online interactive teaching tool for students and science educators. Players must use microbial identification techniques to discover the causative agent of an illness outbreak.
A handy Q & A on PulseNet, the national network of public health laboratories that performs DNA "fingerprinting" on foodborne bacteria.
Partnership for Food Safety Education Web Site
Experiments, games and hands-on-activities are just a few of the exciting tools found at this web site aimed at educating students about food safety. Teachers also will find this site helpful and can order educational materials, browse fact sheets, and view sample experiments. The site stresses the importance of practicing the Four Simple Steps to Food Safety, which are Clean, Separate (Combat Cross-Contamination), Cook, and Chill. Some materials can be downloaded for free -- others can be ordered through the BAC! store.
The following are members of the Partnership for Food Safety Education, check out their sites for more information.