USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline Has Answers

USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline is a toll-free telephone service that helps consumers prevent food-borne illness, specifically by answering their questions about safe storage, handling, and preparation of meat and poultry products. The Hotline may be reached by calling:

     1-800-535-4555 (voice),
     (202) 720-3333 (Washington, DC, area), or
     1-800-256-7072 (TDD/TTY).

The toll-free Meat and Poultry Hotline is a service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Washington, DC. The Hotline helps consumers prevent food-borne illness, specifically by answering their questions about the safe storage, handling, and preparation of meat, poultry, and egg products.

The Hotline also responds to other issues related to the mission of USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), which is to ensure that the Nation's commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged, as required by the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Poultry Products Inspection Act, and the Egg Products Inspection Act.

The Meat and Poultry Hotline, in operation since 1985, has been an effective educational tool for several reasons. First, the Hotline gives consumers quick and easy access to USDA and an opportunity to ask questions or express opinions. (Callers may choose to listen to recorded messages, available 24 hours a day, or they may call during operating hours and speak with a food safety specialist.)

Because they deal one-on-one with callers, Hotline food safety specialists are able to assess the caller's knowledge of safe food handling and provide appropriate guidance. Talking consumers through a difficult or puzzling situation helps them choose the safest food-handling alternatives, thus reducing the risk of illness. Specialists also assist callers by clearing up misconceptions about food safety and food industry practices.

In an emergency situation--an outbreak of food-borne illness, a natural disaster, or a product recall--the Hotline provides vital information in a timely manner. For example, in the event of a recall, consumers can obtain detailed information that will help them identify the suspect product.

Its nationwide service area also means that the Meat and Poultry Hotline can help detect possible public health threats. Certainly the data gathered by the Hotline helps FSIS discern gaps in consumer knowledge. In essence, the Hotline callers serve as a focus group. Analysis of caller questions and concerns helps FSIS plan effective educational campaigns.

Finally, the Hotline is able to disseminate information widely through a variety of channels. Consumers are the primary users of the Meat and Poultry Hotline, but by no means the only ones. When writers, reporters, and educators obtain help and information from FSIS and the Hotline, that information is passed on to readers or clients who may number in the millions. Hotline callers also include government officials; people in the food industry and foodservice workers; students and teachers; other USDA employees, such as those in the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service; consumer groups; and professionals in health, consumer affairs, and law.

The Meat and Poultry Hotline is part of FSIS' Food Safety Education Staff within the Office of the FSIS Administrator.