StateFoodSafety Resources

Pork was first introduced to the United States in the early 16th century, when the explorer Hernando de Soto brought hogs to Florida. It gained an important place in the United States diet in the 1800s, when manufacturers began salting pork to help it last longer. At that time, salt pork became the country’s staple […]

Are you hosting a holiday party this year? As you think about your dinner menu, make sure you plan ahead for how you will thaw and cook the meat. When food is thawed incorrectly, foodborne germs can multiply to dangerous levels and cause people to get sick — and you don’t want to invite foodborne […]

As of May 2019, about 7% of all working Utahns worked in the food industry. That percentage represents nearly 113,000 food workers throughout the state — including you! Maybe you were just hired for your first job, or maybe you’ve worked in the industry for years and it’s time to renew your food handlers permit. […]

In 2008, a terrible outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul swept across the United States. The first cases were reported in April. By the end of the outbreak in August, more than 1,400 people in 43 different states had become ill. Texas had the most reported cases — 559. The Texas Department of State Health Services partnered […]

Thawing food may seem simple, but if done incorrectly, it can make you just as sick as undercooking food. How is this possible? Let’s start by talking about temperature and bacteria. The temperature danger zone for food Bacteria need certain temperatures to grow. Temperatures below 41°F slow down bacterial growth and keep the bacteria from […]