Food Poisoning Health Center

This website has general information on outbreak investigations, an overview of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) food safety programs and activities, and other educational resources. One of these resources is the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, known as FoodNet, which is sponsored by CDC and its Emerging Infections Program (EIP), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FoodNet monitors food-borne diseases and helps public health officials better understand food-borne diseases in the United States.

The Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE) is a group that works with industry associations, consumer groups, the U.S. government, and professional societies in food science, nutrition, and health to educate the public about safe food handling. The organization offers a "Fight Bac" campaign that teaches the four steps—clean, separate, cook, and chill—that can reduce the risk of food-borne illness. The PFSE website contains food safety brochures, press releases, and other materials for educators and consumers. The site also provides tips on working within your community to promote food safety and has a special section for children.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA provides accurate, science-based information about medicines and foods and helps protect public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of:

• Human and veterinary drugs.
• Biological products.
• Medical devices.
• The U.S. food supply.
• Cosmetics.
• Products that emit radiation.

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service sees that the supply of meat, poultry, and egg products in the United States is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged. Its website has extensive information on food safety, food preparation, food poisoning, and food labeling. It provides phone numbers and email addresses to use to ask for information on food poisoning, food safety, and food safety education programs. The website also allows the public to ask questions through an interactive feature called "Ask Karen."