HispanicBusiness

WASHINGTON, June 28, 2012 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- In preparation for July 4th and the summer months when instances of food poisoning increase, the Ad Council and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, in partnership with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are continuing their national Food Safe Families public service campaign, the first multimedia effort designed to raise awareness of the risks of foodborne illness (or food poisoning) in the home. New outdoor PSAs, placed on billboards, bus shelters, and other outdoor locations across the nation, are being distributed to media outlets nationwide and the "Chill" TV spot will air on Walmart's Checkout TV Network in 600 stores nationwide, reaching more than 100 million customers.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/56942-ad-council-usda-hhs-food-safe-families-public-service-campaign

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120628/MM30560 )

U.S. beef sales are highest during the week of July 4th with Americans purchasing $400 million in beef, according to the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. However, new FDA research, in collaboration with USDA, has found that a majority of Americans don't know how to properly check if a burger is safe to eat. The only way to determine if meat has reached a safe internal temperature is by using a food thermometer but research indicates that less than 1 in 4 Americans (23% of the U.S. population) who own a food thermometer report using it to check the internal temperature of burgers when cooking.

Foodborne illness is a serious public health threat in the United States. The CDC estimates that approximately 1 in 6 Americans (48 million people) suffer from foodborne illness each year, resulting in roughly 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. Because warmer temperatures cause bacteria to multiply, the summer months typically see a spike in reports of foodborne illness.

"Consumers have high expectations for the safety of the food supply," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, "and we, the government, have an obligation to make sure that food is safe. But despite the best efforts of government and industry, the system isn't perfect. Consumers face some risk, and part of our job is to make them aware of it and how to minimize it. That's been the basis of our year-long partnership with the Ad Council to promote food safety. Making sure hands, utensils, and surfaces are clean, that you're cooking food thoroughly, storing it at a safe temperature, and avoiding cross-contamination are simple, meaningful steps that people can take to keep themselves and their families from getting sick."

Created pro bono by ad agency JWT New York, the Food Safe Families campaign aims to raise awareness about the risks of foodborne illness and educate consumers, especially parents, to take specific actions to reduce their personal risk through the following safe food handling behaviors:

•Clean: Clean kitchen surfaces, utensils, and hands with soap and water while preparing food. •Separate: Separate raw meats from other foods by using different cutting boards. •Cook: Cook foods to the right temperature by using a food thermometer. •Chill: Chill raw and prepared foods promptly.