Secretary Shalala Announces New Food Safety Information Service
Contact: Judith Foulke, 202-205-4144,
Broadcast Media: 301-827-3434
Consumer Inquiries: 1-888-SAFEFOOD
Web site: http://www.hhs.gov
WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Speaking before the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association today, HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala announced the opening of the Food and Drug Administration's new Outreach and Information Center (O&IC), operated by FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN).
"The FDA has continuously led the way in getting an effective food safety message out to the public," Secretary Shalala said. "The Outreach and Information Center is an important, new resource that will help put the most up-to-date, reliable food safety information at the fingertips of those who need it most -- American consumers."
The O&IC was created in part to enhance FDA's ability to provide accurate and meaningful information to the public about food safety. It is funded as one of the targeted projects for development under the Administration's Food Safety Initiative. In addition to providing food safety information, the O&IC will provide assistance with other CFSAN issues including cosmetics, food additives and dietary supplements.
The O&IC will operate CFSAN's new expanded toll-free public information line 1-888- SAFEFOOD. The information line is digitally managed by an advanced technology system of call handling, tracking and information retrieval. It includes more than 200 hours of newly recorded information on all CFSAN issues and regulated products. The system also offers more than one hundred CFSAN documents over fax or Web site.
Information specialists will take calls directly on 1-888-SAFEFOOD from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. business days. The newly expanded hours of operation begin September 14, and will increase by 50 percent the coverage of incoming public calls that will be answered by CFSAN information specialists.
The new information line replaces the old food line (1-800-FDA-4010) and the old cosmetic line (1-800-270-8869). Calls made to these old lines will automatically be transferred to the new information line.
------ Note: HHS press releases are available on the World Wide Web at: http://www.hhs.gov.
-0- /U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/ 09/09 11:00
Copyright 1999, U.S. Newswire
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