Food Safety and Inspection Service United States Department of Agriculture Washington, D.C. 20250-3700

News Release

Susan Conley (202) 720-7943
Carol Blake (202) 720-9113

USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline Gives Advice on Sending Food Gifts to U.S. Military

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6, 2001--Being home for the holidays will not be possible this year for many members of the American armed forces. The next best thing may be receiving greetings and gifts of food items. The U.S. Department of Agriculture today is providing guidance for safely mailing food gifts to family members and friends serving in the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.

“I am sure that in addition to receiving letters from home, our men and women in the armed forces would appreciate food gifts,” said Susan Conley, director of Food Safety Education for the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. “It’s important to mail food gifts that are not perishable, can tolerate a range of temperatures, and won’t break with rough handling.”

Perishable foods are those that must be kept at 40 °F or below to remain safe to eat -- meat, poultry, fish, and soft cheeses, for example. These foods cannot be safely left at room temperature for more than 2 hours, much less for a week or more in the mail. Foodborne bacteria that may be present on these foods grow fastest at temperatures above 40 °F and can double every 20 minutes. When this happens, someone eating the food can get sick.

Food gifts that can be safely mailed include dried products such as jerky and fruits, shelf-stable canned specialties, and regional condiments such as hot sauces. Homemade cookies, candy, and low-moisture breads like fruitcake and bar cookies are also good candidates for mailing.

As an alternative to homemade gifts, some families may wish to send a military member’s favorite mail order foods. Shelf-stable “summer sausage,” cheeses, cakes, and snacks can be ordered on the Internet or through mail order catalogs. Because of the delivery time and distances between the U.S. and duty stations overseas, do not order any food gifts that must be kept refrigerated.

Conley reminds that “Families and friends must have a specific address for their service members. Mail addressed to ‘Any Serviceman’ will not be accepted by the U.S. Postal Service.”

Food safety specialists at USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline offer the following advice concerning food gifts for armed forces serving away from home, including those in and near Afghanistan engaged in Operation Enduring Freedom.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FOOD GIFTS

• Dried beef or poultry such as beef jerky, turkey jerky, or beef slims are safe to mail. Bacteria can’t multiply in food preserved by removing moisture.
• Dehydrated soups and fruit drink mixes are lightweight and safe to mail. Regional condiments such as hot sauce and Cajun seasonings in packets are useful for spicing up Meals Ready to Eat (MREs).
• Canned specialties such as patè, corned beef, shelf-stable hams, anchovies, shrimp, dips, and cracker spreads make nice treats. Recipients should be cautioned not to use any cans that are damaged or swollen. Foods in glass containers should not be mailed because the container can break.
• Dense and dry baked goods such as fruitcakes and biscotti are good choices for mailing because they will not become moldy. Other suitable baked goods include commercially-packaged cakes and cookies in airtight tins, dry cookies such as ginger snaps, and specialty crackers.
• High-moisture baked goods such as pumpkin bread -- while safe at room temperature for a few days -- should not be mailed because they will most likely mold before delivery. Fragile foods like delicate cookies won’t make the trip intact. When mailing firm cookies and homemade candies, wrap each piece individually and pack items in commercially popped popcorn or foam packing “peanuts” to help cushion the trip. Place the food gifts in a sturdy box and seal it securely with packing tape.
• Dried fruits such as raisins and apricots, canned nuts and fruit, and commercially-packaged trail mix need no refrigeration.
• Hard candies and firm homemade sweets such as fudge, pralines, and toffee are safe to mail because their high sugar content prevents bacterial growth.

For additional food safety information about meat, poultry, or egg products, call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline’s toll-free number 1-800-535-4555; Washington D.C. area (202) 720-3333. The toll-free number for the hearing impaired (TTY) is 1 (800) 256-7072.

The Hotline is staffed by food safety experts, weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Eastern time. In addition, food safety information is available on the FSIS Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov.

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For Further Information, Contact:
FSIS Congressional and Public Affairs Staff
Phone: (202) 720-9113
Fax: (202) 690-0460

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