Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released results from a 2008 Health and Diet survey indicating that a majority of consumers do, in fact, read food labels because they are beginning to get a better understanding the role proper nutrition plays in lowering the risk of chronic diseases. According to the survey, more consumers “often read labels to determine the amount of calories, salts, vitamins or fat contained in the food products they are buying.” Choosing healthy, safe food is always music to our ears!

But the labels on food packaging can tell us more than just the nutritional content. There is another teensy little label that has a pretty big impact on food safety, especially when it comes to meat and poultry products – the expiration date.

One might think the meaning of an expiration label is self-explanatory, but this is not always the case. Actually, expiration labels are often called “dating labels” – but don’t confuse these with dinner and a movie dates. These labels are used to indicate how long your food should stay fresh.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS), by reading so-called dating labels, we can learn more than the date that the meat goes bad. For example, if you own a grocery store, these labels help you and your employees determine how long to keep products like meat, eggs and cheese available for sale. And before adding a gallon of milk to their carts, shoppers can look to dating labels to see how long the milk will taste its best.

But while these labels are helpful when you’re trying to determine how long you should keep a porterhouse, it’s really important to remember these dates don’t guarantee the food is safe.

Quick Link... Dr. Temple Grandin, who is featured in our latest Chew on This podcast, was recently profiled in The Wall Street Journal. Dr. Grandin explains how her unique insights fueled innovation in her work with livestock. Read the article.

Ever wonder which U.S. states or regions eat the most meat or consume the most veggies? Well, I'm not going to spoil the fun for you. Find the answers with these data maps, which tell us a little bit about America's eating habits. Enjoy!

We’ve just released a new Chew on This podcast featuring Dr. Temple Grandin, noted author, consultant to the livestock industry on animal behavior issues and the subject of the new HBO biopic Temple Grandin.  Dr. Grandin joins us to discuss her work in animal welfare as it relates to food production in America. Listen to the new podcast now. 

In case you didn’t know, our Chew on This podcast series focuses on food safety and protecting our nation's food supply.  Every month we feature insights from America's leading food experts. Some of our past topics have included E. coli, large scale farms, advocacy and imported food.

If you ever have feedback on a podcast or a suggestion for a future topic or guest, feel free to leave us a comment here or on any of our posts.

Of the five senses, perhaps the senses of smell and taste make the most lasting impressions. Remember school lunches? I know I’ll never forget mine. For example, what my elementary school’s lunch ladies called “smoky links”—cocktail weenies swimming in congealed gravy—and what passed for a burrito are burned into my memory.

I grew up in an era when the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), under President Regan, revised school lunch standards to allow school nutritionists to consider ketchup and other condiments like pickle relish as a portion of vegetables. Luckily, that was quickly reversed as a result of public outcry.

If you were a suffering public school cafeteria kid like me, you’ll be interested to know that things are improving for kids at lunchtime. Why? Health concerns for our children’s growing obesity problems and the public’s increasing concern about food safety has inspired politicians to take new interest in school lunches.

In fact, the USDA has begun offering politicians and their staff members taste tests of some of the top items on school lunch menus. Congressional members and staff recently feasted on chicken fajitas and sliced ham a la school cafeteria, for example.

The USDA supplies schools with meats, fruits, dairy and other food stuffs through a program that has a dual purpose—to help feed underprivileged children and also support agricultural markets. This program has improved since the days when I was a cafeteria diner. Today, the program offers a far wider selection to schools—180 different foods today compared to just 54 in 1981 (the same year as the ketchup-as-vegetable scandal and my not-so-beloved smoky links). The diversity of foods available to schools through the USDA now includes dried fruits, nuts, brown rice, legumes and unprocessed meats. In short, with these healthier options, it should be easier for school lunch ladies to craft healthy meals for kids. Getting the kids to eat them is another matter.

In the latest podcast in our Chew on This series, Dr. Kent Ames, professor at the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, discusses animal health and the role that large farms play in providing food for the growing world.