Food Safety Shouldn't Take a Holiday

This 4th of July, the Ad Council and the United States Department of Agriculture, and the United States Department of Health and Human Services are letting the Founding Fathers do the talking on the four easy steps to food safety. Clean, separate, cook and chill. It’s as simple as that.

As the 4th of July approaches, cases of foodborne illnesses are surging in the summer season. Here are some key statistics:

• Incidents of food poisoning surge over the summer months because bacteria multiply faster when it’s warm
• Americans spend $400 million on beef alone for July 4^th barbecues
• USDA research shows that 1 out of every 4 hamburgers turns brown before it has reached a safe internal temperature!
• New FDA research done in collaboration with USDA shows that only 23% of Americans who own a food thermometer actually use it when grilling hamburgers
• 48 million Americans (at least 1 in 6) will get sick from foodborne illness this year, resulting in roughly 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths

How can families avoid these serious public health threats during the July 4th holiday and summer months when they are at most risk? Just listen to the Founding Fathers.

By posting this information and infographic on your site, you could be saving a life. Please help spread this public service message before July 4^th. Learn more at foodsafety.gov.