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  5. Maintain Food Safety and Cut Food Waste Reference Guide

Food waste is a major concern. Wasted food is a huge challenge to our natural resources, our environment, and our pocketbooks. Between 30 and 40 percent of food in the United States goes uneaten – as much as 20 pounds of food per person per month. That means Americans are throwing out the equivalent of $165 billion in food each year.

Have a friendly competition with your friends or family members to see who can go the longest without any food waste.

A to Z Food Safety Reference Guide

Whether you are a home cook, a professional chef, or a recipe writer, there are some easy steps you can take to help keep your food safe all the way from the grocery store to the kitchen table.

Becoming food safety savvy is as easy as A–B–C! Let your fingers do the walking through this user-friendly reference guide that offers you a wealth of invaluable, up-to-date food safety information. Also included are in-depth sections on the step-by-step journey food travels from the farm to the table; how to prepare and handle food safely; the Fight BAC!TM Campaign’s 4 Simple Steps to Food Safety: Clean, Separate (Combat Cross-Contamination), Cook, and Chill; and fascinating food safety careers!

pdfA to Z Food Safety Reference Guide

pdfRefrigerator and Freezer Storage Chart

 

Video: Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill!

Make sure to keep hot foods hot, and cold foods cold. This information provides safety tips for handling and preparing common foods, and what to avoid and how to make better choices to prevent food poisoning and food waste.

Information and Resources

FoodSafety.gov Charts: Food Safety at a Glance

How long can you store leftovers in the refrigerator? How can you tell when chicken breasts are done? How long does it take to cook a turkey? Check out these charts for fast answers.

FoodSafety.gov: FoodKeeper App

The FoodKeeper helps you understand food and beverages storage. It will help you maximize the freshness and quality of items. By doing so you will be able to keep items fresh longer than if they were not stored properly. It is also available as a mobile application for Android and Apple devices.

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 Public Downloads

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Public Downloads - Español (Spanish)

When available, we provide all our content with a Spanish version in our public download section. You can find additional material from sources listed in all our articles.

 Video Playlist: Food Safety and Nutrition

Fresh and Frozen Seafood: Selecting and Serving it Safely
Fish and shellfish are an important part of a healthful diet. They...
Safe Handling of Raw Produce and Fresh-Squeezed Fruit and Vegetable Juices
Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. Your...
The Food Label and You (Historical PSA)
Are you smarter than a food label? Find out on our quiz show spoof...
The Food Label and You: The 5-20 Rule Part 1 (Historical PSA)
Our "Reporter on the Street" asks everyday people, "What's the 5-20...
The Food Label and You: Game Show Review (Are You Smarter Than A Food Label?) (Historical PSA)
Spoof of the popular game show, this segment pits FDA's "Labelman"...
The Food Label and You: Road Food (Finding Nutrition Information on the Road) (Historical PSA)
Our host talks to a fast-food drive-through diner to demonstrate how to...
The Food Label and You: Party Food (Gametime/Play By Play) (Historical PSA)
Spoof of a Sunday Afternoon Sports show highlighting the importance of...
The Food Label and You: The 5-20 Rule Part 2 (Historical PSA)
In this take off from the 1950's, our mom explains nutrition facts to...
Food Label and You: CSI (Calorie Scene Investigators) (Historical PSA)
A spoof on the popular CSI Series. This double-segment features CSI...
The Food Label and You: Servings (Historical PSA)
Gia Mora hosts an exploration of "serving sizes" and servings per...
Food Label & You Show Open (Historical PSA)
Spoof of a 1950's-era scientist giving a classroom presentation...
Food Safety Modernization Act: Preventive Controls
Description of key preventive control provisions [vpfood]

Fresh and Frozen Seafood: Selecting and Serving it Safely

Fish and shellfish are an important part of a healthful diet. They contain high quality protein and other essential nutrients. A well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fish and ...

 

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