Critical Food Safety Message from USDA, HHS and Ad Council Prior to the Big Game, Second Largest Food Consumption Day of the Year in the U.S.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) have teamed up with the Ad Council to remind Americans about the importance of food safety just before the biggest football game of the year, which is also the second largest food consumption day of the year. The effort is an extension of their Food Safe Families campaign (www.foodsafety.gov), the first joint multimedia campaign designed to help families prevent food poisoning in the home.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that one in six Americans (48 million people) suffers from food poisoning each year, resulting in 128,000 people being hospitalized and 3,000 Americans dying from food poisoning each year.    

"Great food, large groups of friends and cheering on your team are what make the Big Game so much fun," said USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Elisabeth Hagen. "We want to give hosts a few easy tactics to reduce the chances that their guests will get sick from the fabulous foods they are serving at their tailgate parties."

The Food Safe Families campaign has critical tips to share with parents to ensure everyone's safety and well-being during and after the Big Game.

CLEAN-SEPARATE-COOK-CHILL

1. Clean: Clean kitchen surfaces, utensils, and hands with soap and water while preparing food.
2. Separate: Separate raw meats from other foods by using different cutting boards.
3. Cook: Cook foods to the right temperature by using a food thermometer.
4. Chill: Chill raw and prepared foods promptly.

FACT: More than 1.25 billion wing portions will be consumed during the Big Game weekend in 2012, totaling more than 100 million pounds of wings, according to the National Chicken Council's (NCC) 2012 Wing Report. 

SPREAD THE WORD:

• Tweet this important link – www.foodsafety.gov – with the hashtag #FoodSafeSB
• Check out "Ask Karen" at www.foodsafety.gov/experts/askkaren/index.html, an online database with answers to nearly 1,500 questions related to preventing foodborne illnesses.
• Follow us on Twitter – @foodsafetygov
• "Like" us on Facebook– Facebook.com/FoodSafety.gov

To schedule an interview with Dr. Elisabeth Hagen, Under Secretary for Food Safety please contact Samantha Pepi at [email protected]

Contact: Samantha Pepi
[email protected]
703.253.0048

SOURCE Ad Council