Florida Consumer E-Newsletter
May 2010
Charles H. Bronson
Commissioner
A Message from the Commissioner
Dear Friends:
One of the most crucial responsibilities delegated to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is ensuring that the public has access to a safe, wholesome, and properly represented food supply. This sizeable task would be almost impossible to accomplish if it were not for the hard-working and dedicated staff in the Division of Food Safety.
The Division of Food Safety is comprised of the Bureau of Food and Meat Inspection, the Bureau of Food Laboratories, and the Bureau of Chemical Residue Laboratories. They are charged with administration and enforcement of the food, poultry, and egg laws, evaluating consumer complaints related to food, as well as providing support in the enforcement of other food safety laws. But, while the Division goes to great lengths to monitor food from the farm gate through processing and distribution all the way to the retail point of purchase, there are still a number of things that consumers can do for themselves which will help to minimize their risk of becoming ill.
This edition of the Florida Consumer E-Newsletter is dedicated to providing useful tips and information that will assist consumers on issues of food safety. Remember… an educated consumer is an empowered consumer! The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is here for you – visit our website at www.800helpfla.com if you would like additional information, or call our Consumer Assistance Center. They will answer almost any question you may have or direct you to the best resource for assistance. If you are calling within Florida simply dial 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352), outside of Florida 850-410-3800 or en Español 1-800-FL-AYUDA (352-9832).
Sincerely,
According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is estimated that food-borne illnesses affect more than 76 million people in our country each year. This result correlates to approximately 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,200 deaths. Harmful bacteria are the most common cause of food-borne illness or food poisoning, but other causes include viruses, parasites, toxins, and contaminants. Symptoms and severity of food poisoning may vary depending on what has contaminated the food. If you suspect that you have food poisoning or are having an allergic reaction to food, call your doctor immediately. If prepared food was the potential source of the food-borne illness, be sure to notify both the restaurant/vendor and your county health department.
Consumers can do a great deal to safeguard themselves from ever getting a food-borne illness by simply being proactive. The following tips should be utilized during the shopping process:
- Check for cleanliness – Does the retail establishment look clean? Do they appear to be using proper food handling practices?
- Keep certain foods separated – Keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood away from ready-to-eat fresh foods (both in the shopping cart and on the trip home). Place these foods in plastic bags to help prevent their juices from dripping on other foods.
- Inspect cans and jars – Don’t buy canned goods that are bulging or dented. Don’t buy products packaged in jars that are cracked or have loose or bulging lids. A bulging can or jar lid may indicate that the food was under-processed and is contaminated. Don’t buy any food products that appear to be tampered with or have a damaged seal.
- Inspect frozen food packaging – Don’t buy frozen food if the package is damaged (open, torn or crushed on the edges). Avoid packages that are above the frost line in the store’s freezer. If the package cover is transparent, look for signs of frost or ice crystals. This may indicate that the food in the package has either been stored for a long time or thawed and refrozen.
- Select frozen foods and perishables last – This includes meat, poultry, fish and eggs.
- Choose fresh eggs carefully – Inspect the eggs prior to purchase to ensure that they are clean and that none are cracked. Buy only refrigerated eggs and follow the “Safe Handling Instructions” on the carton.
- Be mindful of time and temperature – It is imperative that perishable food products be refrigerated as soon as possible after grocery shopping. Perishable food should not be left at room temperature for longer than 2 hours. Modify that to 1 hour if temperatures exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Use of a cooler or ice chest is highly recommended to keep your frozen and perishable food items cold (especially if the trip home is expected to take more than an hour). When the weather is warm and you are using your air conditioner in the car, keep the groceries in the passenger compartment instead of the trunk.
What about food labels and dating?
The importance of food labels and dating to consumers should not be understated. Unfortunately, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), there is currently no uniform or universally accepted system in place. Federal and state laws only require dates on baby formula, certain baby foods and perishable foods such as meat, poultry, eggs and milk. Manufacturers voluntarily place packaging dates on other foods to ensure freshness and to help grocers rotate store stock. The following are some of the most commonly used food dating terms and what they mean to the FSIS:
- “Best if used by”, “Best before” or “Best by” – This is a voluntary date which is designed to tell consumers how long a product is at peak flavor or quality, as determined by the manufacturer. It is not a purchase or safety date. Many consumers incorrectly interpret this as an expiration date and discard the product when it may not have been necessary.
- “Sell by” – This date, also called the “pull date”, tells retailers how long to keep the product for sale on store shelves. Consumers should purchase the product before this date.
- “Use by” or “Expiration” – This is the latest date recommended for using the product at peak quality, as determined by the manufacturer. Once again, this is not a safety date.
IMPORTANT NOTE - While these dates are helpful to the retailer and the consumer alike, they are reliable only if the food has been kept at a safe temperature during storage and handling. Milk and eggs should be stored in the coldest part of the refrigerator, not on the door. A safe food handling label should also be on all raw or partially precooked (not ready-to-eat) meat and poultry packages. The label tells the consumer how to safely store, prepare, and handle raw meat and poultry products in the home. Consumers should also stay abreast of the latest food recall information. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services maintains a list of recalled products at www.800helpfla.com, or consumers can visit www.foodsafety.gov where you can sign up for e-mail updates and/or subscribe to alerts.
During the food preparation process follow these 4 guidelines:
- Clean – Wash your hands and food preparation surfaces often. Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running water.
- Separate – Don’t cross-contaminate foods. Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs away from ready-to-eat fresh foods.
- Cook – Cook foods to the proper temperature to kill bacteria. It is not safe to partially cook food ahead of time. This can allow harmful bacteria to survive and multiply to the point that subsequent cooking cannot destroy them.
- Chill – Refrigerate perishable foods, prepared foods and leftovers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the temperature is over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Store leftovers in separate containers and refrigerate.
And, be especially cautious when cooking out or picnicking this summer as increased temperatures help food-borne bacteria multiply at a rapid pace. Remember the mantra of most food safety experts: When in doubt, throw it out!
Additional Resources
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The links below are for your information only. The goal of the Division of Consumer Services is to provide additional information to consumers. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services does not review or confirm these sites for accuracy.
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
The Division of Food Safety is responsible for assuring the public of a safe, wholesome and properly represented food supply through permitting and inspection of food establishments, inspection of food products, and performance of specialized laboratory analyses on a variety of food products sold or produced in the State.
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Food handling safety risks are more common than most people think. Four easy steps —Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill — can help your family Be Food Safe.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
This section contains information about Food Safety Programs, Product-Specific Information, Food Allergens, Foodborne Illness, Food Contaminants & Adulteration, Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Point (HACCP), Retail Food Protection, and Safe Storage, Preparation & Handling.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Most people do not think about foodborne illness until they become ill from unknowingly eating contaminated food. While the food supply in the United States is one of the safest in the world, each year about 76 million illnesses occur, more than 300,000 persons are hospitalized, and 5,000 die from foodborne illness. Tracking single cases of foodborne illness and investigating outbreaks are critical public health functions in which CDC is deeply involved.
