November 29, 2000

USDA officials have issued safety tips on food gifts for the holidays. About $5.8 billion in food gifts will be ordered from catalogs and the Internet, most of which will reach its destination in a safe condition. However, if mail order foods are mishandled, many recipients could also be subject to a food-borne illness.

"Thanks to the World Wide Web and the mail order industry, you can give or receive perishable foods such as meat and poultry," says Susan Conley, director of Food Safety Education for USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). "By following a few food safety tips, the purchaser and the recipient can be assured that the holiday food gifts have been handled properly."

At room temperature, bacteria in food can double every 20 minutes. The more bacteria there are, the greater the chance of illness. Perishable meat or poultry -- cooked, smoked or raw -- must be kept at 40 degrees F or below to stay safe. To prevent illness from food gifts, USDA's meat and poultry hotline advises consumers to follow these food safety recommendations when sending or receiving perishable foods during the upcoming holiday season:

--Before ordering food gifts be sure the company is reputable. The Direct Marketing Association offers sources of reputable catalog and Internet food retailers at their Web site: www.shopthenet.org. Ask the mail order company if it ships perishable meat and poultry cold or frozen and packed with a cold source such as dry ice or freezer gel packs. The order should be packed in a foam box or heavy corrugated cardboard.

--When mailing perishable food gifts make sure the food is frozen solid or refrigerator cold. Use an insulated cooler or a heavy corrugated box packed with a frozen gel-pack, or purchase dry ice for keeping food cold. If using dry ice, don't touch it with bare hands or let it come in contact with the food. Wrap the box in two layers of brown paper. Mark the box "Keep Refrigerated." Affix an accurate mailing label to prevent any delivery problems. If dry ice was used, also write on the package "Contains Dry Ice." Tell the recipients when the gift was mailed or a delivery date, if known, so they can be home to receive it. Do not have perishables delivered to an office; sufficient refrigerator space likely is not available. The food should be mailed by the fastest shipping method possible -- preferably by express overnight delivery. Where possible, send food through the mail that is not perishable, such as hard salami, country ham, hard cheese and snack foods.

--When receiving perishable food gifts immediately open packages labeled "keep refrigerated." Make sure the food is still frozen or cold-to-the-touch with visible ice crystals. If so, refrigerate or freeze the food right away. If the food is not refrigerator cold, don't eat it. Call the company and most likely they will replace the food items for you. But remember, it's the shipper's responsibility to deliver perishable foods on time, but it's the consumer's responsibility to handle it safely as soon as it arrives.

For additional food safety information about meat, poultry, or eggs, call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1 (800) 535-4555; Washington, DC area, (202) 720-3333; TTY: 1 (800) 256-7072. It is staffed by home economists, registered dietitians, and food technologists weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. eastern time, year round. An extensive selection of food safety recordings can be heard 24 hours a day using a touch-tone phone.