USDA Expands 'Meat And Poultry Hotline' Hours In Promoting Safe Food Handling

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service on Wednesday announced the expansion of the hours of its Meat and Poultry Hotline and "Ask Karen" chat services to promote public awareness of safe food handling.

As detailed in the agency’s 2017-2021 Strategic Plan, FSIS is focusing on the reduction of food-borne illness, focusing on public awareness as a key step toward that goal. The Meat and Poultry Hotline has been educating consumers since 1985, with the toll-free telephone service assisting in the prevention of food-borne illnesses by answering consumers’ questions about the safe storage, handling and preparation of meat, poultry and egg products.

Beginning Wednesday, the hotline will be open for two additional hours, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.

“Our hotline provides a valuable service in educating consumers about how to safely prepare food,” said FSIS Administrator Al Almanza in a prepared statement. “By keeping the hotline open an additional two hours, we are expanding our reach to allow more consumers, including those on the West Coast, to have their food safety questions answered.”
The hotline is accompanied by Ask Karen, a 24-hour online service that provides answers to thousands of frequently asked questions and also allows consumers to email or live-chat with a food safety specialist during operating hours.
The Meat and Poultry Hotline has answered questions about food manufacturer recalls, food poisoning, food safety during power outages, and the inspection of meat, poultry and egg products for more than 30 years. The outreach ranges from advice to novice cooks roasting their first turkey to experienced food handlers asking about food-borne bacteria, officials noted. Since its inception, the Meat and Poultry Hotline has answered more than 3 million calls.
“Our hotline staff are experts in their field and have backgrounds in nutrition, food technology and public health,” Almanza said. “Experts are available to talk with people in English and Spanish, so we are able to help address the food safety needs of diverse communities.”
Consumers can contact the Meat and Poultry Hotline to speak to a live food expert at 1-888-674-6854, or visit Ask Karen to chat or email (in English or Spanish), Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time/7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pacific Time.

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