New Food Safety Information Service

[Kuester, Sarah]

Please pardon the cross-posting.

Hello.  Below is a DHHS press release announcing a new
food safety toll-free information service operated by the 
FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

Thank you,
Sarah Kuester
Public Health Nutritionist
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
sak2 at cdc.gov
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Source: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/1999pres/990909.html

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Date:  September 9, 1999
For Release:  Immediately
Contact:        Judith Foulke, 202-205-4144
Broadcast Media:   301-827-3434
Consumer Inquiries: 1-888-SAFEFOOD


Headline:  SECRETARY SHALALA ANNOUNCES NEW FOOD SAFETY INFORMATION SERVICE

Speaking before the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association today, HHS
Secretary Donna E. Shalala announced the opening of the Food and Drug
Administration's new Outreach and Information Center (O&IC), operated by
FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN).

"The FDA has continuously led the way in getting an effective food safety
message out to the public," Secretary Shalala said.  "The Outreach and
Information Center is an important, new resource that will help put the
most up-to-date, reliable food safety information at the fingertips of
those who need it most -- American consumers."

The O&IC was created in part to enhance FDA's ability to provide accurate
and meaningful information to the public about food safety.  It is funded
as one of the targeted projects for development under the Administration's
Food Safety Initiative.  In addition to providing food safety information,
the O&IC will provide assistance with other CFSAN issues including
cosmetics, food additives and dietary supplements.

The O&IC will operate CFSAN's new expanded toll-free public information
line 1-888-SAFEFOOD.  The information line is digitally managed by an
advanced technology system of call handling, tracking and information
retrieval.  It includes more than 200 hours of newly recorded information
on all CFSAN issues and regulated products.  The system also offers more
than one hundred CFSAN documents over fax or Web site.

Information specialists will take calls directly on 1-888-SAFEFOOD from 10
a.m. to 4 p.m. business days.  The newly expanded hours of operation begin
September 14, and will increase by 50 percent the coverage of incoming
public calls that will be answered by CFSAN information specialists.

The new information line replaces the old food line (1-800-FDA-4010) and
the old cosmetic line (1-800-270-8869).  Calls made to these old lines will
automatically be transferred to the new information line.

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Note:  HHS press releases are available on the World Wide Web at:
http://www.hhs.gov.