The Seattle Food Committee Plays it Safe, with Help from United Way

The basics of food safety seem simple enough. For example, we all know that we should wash our hands regularly and store and cook foods at proper temperatures. But for our local food banks and meal programs, often the topic of food safety can become much more complicated. How to take an accurate temperature reading of a walk-in cooler and what types of donated foods should be thrown out due to their high risk of contamination are just a couple of questions that food bank staff and volunteers must be able to answer on a daily basis. If they are incorrect they risk making their clients (many of whom are already in a vulnerable state due to homelessness or chronic health problems) very ill.

At the Seattle Food Committee's Food Safety Information Fair, which took place on June 21st, King County food bank and meal program staff and volunteers had the opportunity to brush up on their food safety knowledge and get all of their questions answered by a group of local food safety experts.

Also, thanks to a generous donation from United Way of King County, they left with some great supplies to help them maintain safe food handling practices at their programs. Thermometers, spray bottles for sanitizing solution, food safe containers, and more!

It was a great day. Thanks to all who presented and participated, and THANK YOU UNITED WAY for equipping food banks and meal programs to better and more safely serve those in need!