Food safety alerts are just the start

#Middlebury #Seniors

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service sends out email alerts to those of us who are signed up for warnings about foods and products that are dangerous or contaminated, perhaps with Listeria or salmonella. Are you signed up for these email notices?

A recent alert concerned 39 tons of ground turkey products sold in large packages last summer. It has made a number of people sick, and the USDA has to err on the side of caution, trying to catch any products that people might have in their freezer. Another alert concerns pork sausage, and yet another concerns chicken and rice products.

To sign up for these notices in email, go online to www.usda.gov and put “alerts” in the search box. Click on Current Recalls and Alerts. You’ll see a pop-up box where you can enter your email address. While you’re on that page (after the pop-up vanishes) scroll down to review recent recalls and alerts.

The Food and Drug Administration covers alerts and recalls for medications and medical supplies, while the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration deals with vehicles, tires, motorcycles and child restraints. If you want to cover all your bases, check www.recalls.gov and sign up for all of them in one place. You’ll receive alerts from U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the FDA and the USDA. To make sure you haven’t missed anything, do a search for your medications and vehicles after you sign up.

Another source to watch is Food Safety (www.foodsafety.gov). Besides sending out alert notices, the site has information on how to avoid food poisoning, safe freezer practices, thawing food and more. To get alerts, go to the site and put “alerts in email” in the search box.

© 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.