Health And Safety

Today is World Food Safety Day, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has launched a sweeping new initiative known as the Salmonella Grand Challenge. The project brings together an elite group of ARS, university and food industry scientists from different specialties to fight Salmonella, a foodborne pathogen that sickens over a million Americans each year, sometimes fatally. The challenge complements the work being done by the Food Safety and Inspection Service to develop a more effective strategy to reduce human Salmonella illness linked to poultry.

Foodborne illness impacts every community around the world, and preventing these illnesses is essential to global health. On this World Food Safety Day, the United Nations aims to spread the message that food standards save lives.

The Codex Alimentarius, or just Codex for short, is an international set of food standards that protect public health by ensuring food safety and promoting fair trade practices. It is produced by an international commission that formulates voluntary international standards, codes of practice, and guidelines that make up the Codex Alimentarius. As we observe World Food Safety Day and the 60^th anniversary of the Codex Commission’s founding, we celebrate food standards for defining the path to safe food for everyone, everywhere.

At your next picnic, let the spotlight shine on your food — not on party crashers like Salmonella or Listeria. When temperatures rise and food safety steps aren’t followed, cold dishes at a cookout are at risk for unsafe bacteria levels. Avoid foodborne illness by following these steps:

The 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s work is under way, and we welcome your involvement in the process to update the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines. The U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA) encourage public participation in the committee’s review process. You can get involved by:

The U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA) will host the second full meeting of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on May 10, 2023. The meeting will be livestreamed for public viewing. Members of the public who wish to view the meeting may register on DietaryGuidelines.gov.

As Ramadan, the month of fasting in Islam begins, families are looking forward to gathering for community and home-cooked meals. Here are three food safety tips to keep handy as you whip up your favorite meals for a spectacular iftar (the meal eaten after sunset during Ramadan).

The Super Bowl is the biggest and most anticipated sporting event of the year. Friends and families “huddle” and consume foods and snacks for the duration of the game while cheering for their favorite team. This iconic annual event is often celebrated by ordering takeout and delivered foods, which if left out too long, can cause foodborne illness.

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Purdue University have developed a series of training videos that illustrate proper sanitation assessment techniques to evaluate shell egg processing equipment. While the practices in these videos are required in facilities that have USDA grading, they are valuable for any shell egg facility wishing to learn more about good sanitation techniques.

Quit food safety confusion cold turkey this Thanksgiving! While this holiday is a great time to spend with family and friends, it’s also time to bust some myths.