Every year, one in six (47.8 million) people in the United States get sick from the food they eat. Oftentimes, foodborne illnesses are seen as being caused by carelessness or negligence, but even the best of intentions can’t stop a foodborne illness unless the right preventive actions are taken.
The Food Safety and Environmental Services team wants to help keep you and your family safe! We are currently working on creating an “Environmental Health @ Home” portal that will focus on not only what to do—for example, washing your hands with soap for 20 seconds—but also how these actions can reduce the chance of diarrhea, vomiting, and other discomforts that come with foodborne illness. We are also developing a formal outreach plan for engaging with the public year-round via social media; food is an important part of our daily lives, so keeping food safe is a priority.
We are kicking off our new social media approach this September for National Food Safety Month with a new food safety-themed poetry contest. To be considered for the prizes, entries must be submitted by September 22, 2017; however, if you submit after this date and your poem is educational and fun, you may still be featured on our website. Entries can be submitted to [email protected].
For a little inspiration, please feel free to check out the short verse below. We’re confident that your poem will be just as good, and excited to see what you know.
Salmonella
Salmonella and campylobacter are found on raw chicken.
If it’s not cooked right, you can be sickened.
To keep yourself safe and help your family thrive,
Make sure the internal temp gets to 165.
