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Assuring relative food safety
Deciding whether a food is safe or hazardous is difficult. It has the potential to be both. Food can never be proven to be entirely safe nor entirely hazardous. It can only be proven to be hazardous to some degree under certain conditions. While demanding completely safe food is unrealistic, it is possible to have food in which potential hazards have been reduced. The United States has one of the safest food supplies in the world. Maintaining a safe food supply is a goal of the majority of food producers, processors, and distributors. The Food and Drug Administration, United States Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Department of Health, and local health departments monitor the food supply to ensure that goal.
As consumers, we significantly influence policies and programs which assure relative food safety. To increase food safety we also can:
Be aware of benefits and risks, when making food choices.
Support, challenge, and fund our government agencies to improve and clarify risk assessment methods and decisions made based on these assessments.
Vary what we eat. Eat foods which are fresh, canned, dried, and frozen, and prepare them in different ways. Eat foods grown or raised in different places and made by different companies. This minimizes exposure to food hazards. Demand that more choices be provided.
Properly store, handle, and cook food.
Learn more about food safety with information from reputable sources including your county Extension office.
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