The FoodKeeper app has received an update! The update adds 85 new food items to the FoodKeeper, including chorizo, prosciutto, edamame, fresh salsa, canned tuna, cereal bars, and salad dressings.
The FoodKeeper app provides guidance on the safe handling, preparation and storage of foods. The app offers specific storage timelines for the refrigerator, freezer, and pantry for various products including meat, poultry, produce, seafood, dairy products and eggs, and more. The app educates consumers and provides many different resources that can help reduce the risk of foodborne illness.
With the app, users can:
- Access cooking tips and methods for various types of meat, poultry and seafood products.
- Add products to their device’s calendar and receive notifications when they are nearing the end of their recommended storage date.
- Receive information on food safety recalls.
- Search food and beverages in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Want to reduce food waste at home? Use the “Add to Calendar” feature and receive reminders to use products before they spoil.
Don’t see an item listed? Although the FoodKeeper has more than 650 food and beverage items, there is an “Add Item” feature that allows users to submit a suggestion for items that may not already be in the app. The submitted suggestions are then reviewed and researched for future updates of the app.
The app is available for Android and Apple devices, and since its launch in April 2015, it has been downloaded nearly 182,000 times. For those that do not have access to a smartphone, the FoodKeeper app can also be accessed at foodsafety.gov/foodkeeper. Storage times listed are intended as useful guidelines and are not hard-and-fast rules. Some foods may deteriorate more quickly while others may last longer than the times suggested.
Consumers can learn more about key food safety practices at foodsafety.gov and follow @USDAFoodSafety and @USDAFoodSafety_es on Twitter. Consumers with questions about food safety, can call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or chat live with a food safety specialist at askkaren.gov, available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, in English or Spanish.