Food Safety concerns the farming, handling, distribution, preparation and storage of food in manners that prevent foodborne illness and allergen cross-contamination. An estimated 48 million cases of foodborne illness occur each year in the U.S. Following four easy steps provided by the USDA — Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill — can help minimize your families risk of illness from food.

 

Several governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are dedicated to the protection and welfare of the public food supply as well as consumer food safety education including FSIS and CFS.

 

The USDA Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) educates consumers about the importance of safe food handling and how to reduce the risks associated with foodborne illness. The Center for Food Safety (CFS) is a non-profit public interest and environmental advocacy membership organization established in 1997 for the purpose of challenging harmful food production technologies and promoting sustainable alternatives.

(Source: FSIS & CFS / Photo: Shutterstock)