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Food Safety

Each year, roughly one out of six Americans (or 48 million people) gets sick; 128,000 are hospitalized; and 3,000 die from foodborne diseases.

The food industry is responsible for producing safe food. Government agencies are responsible for setting food safety standards, conducting inspections, and monitoring food products, including imports.

Consumers also play a huge role in keeping their food safe and wholesome. Simple steps like purchasing foods from an approved source, cooking food thoroughly, practicing good hygiene when handling foods, and proper food storage can help reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

How Michigan Ensures Food Safety

The primary responsibility of the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD) is to assure the safety and wholesomeness of Michigan's food supply. MDARD regularly monitors Michigan's food supply for pesticide residues, micro-organisms, and other substances that would compromise the quality and wholesomeness of the food we eat. That long-standing commitment to a safe food supply has earned Michigan a national reputation for strictly enforcing the state's food and dairy laws.

MDARD inspectors monitor Michigan's food supply at each step in the food chain and helps assure that food stays safe from the farm the farm gate to your dinner plate.

Learn about protecting food at each step in the food chain

Food Safety Efforts in Michigan

Food Safety News

Wash your hands and surfaces involved with food frequently.
Cross contamination is how bacteria can spread from one food to another. Keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood and their juices away from ready-to-eat foods.
Refrigerate promptly. Set your refrigerator no higher than 40°F and the freezer unit at 0°F.
Cook food—particularly meats and eggs—to proper temperatures.

Visit these sites for more food safety tips:

How to Report a Food Safety Concern or Violation

If you have a question or concern about food you or your family has purchased or eaten, please call the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development toll-free at 800-292-3939 or send an e-mail to MDA-Info@Michigan.gov. You will be connected with someone who can answer your question or help address your concern.

If you have become ill and suspect foodborne illness, please seek medical attention. If possible, save any leftover suspect food and its packaging in a sealed plastic bag or container and store it in the freezer. If foodborne illness is confirmed, this food sample may be helpful in determining the source of contamination.

You may also file a food safety complaint online through the MDARD online complaint form.

Human Food and Animal Feed Recalls

A food recall is a firm's voluntary removal of distributed food products from commerce when there is a reason to believe that such products are adulterated or misbranded. Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) food, feed, and dairy inspectors are notified of recalls affecting

Michigan and help ensure that potentially harmful food and animal feed products are kept off store shelves by conducting both routine and targeted recall audit checks. MDARD - Food Recalls)

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Stay Informed!

Food safety topics you should know about!