New USDA ‘FoodKeeper’ App: Your New Tool for Smart Food Storage
How
many times have you gone into your pantry or refrigerator, only to find that
what you were going to use in your meal was spoiled? The USDA, Cornell
University and the Food Marketing Institute would like to help you avoid that
problem in the future with our new application, the FoodKeeper.
Our
new application will help you understand how different storing methods affect a
product’s shelf life. This should help you maximize the storage life of foods
and beverages in your home. In addition, the application can remind you to use
items before they are likely to spoil.
Application
Features
The
FoodKeeper application offers users valuable storage advice about more than 400
food and beverage items, including various types of baby food, dairy products
and eggs, meat, poultry, produce, seafood, and more. With the application you
can:
·
Find
specific storage timelines for the refrigerator, freezer, and pantry, depending
on the nature of the product;
·
Get
cooking tips for cooking methods of meat, poultry and seafood products;
·
Note
in your devices’ calendar when products were purchased and receive
notifications when they are nearing the end of their recommended storage date;
·
Search
the application with swipe gestures or voice control; and,
·
Submit
a question to USDA using the ‘Ask Karen’ feature of the application. ‘Ask
Karen’ is USDA’s 24/7 virtual representative. The system provides information
about preventing foodborne illness, safe food handling and storage, and safe
preparation of meat, poultry, and egg products.
Food
Waste Challenge
The
application is part of a larger effort between USDA and the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency called the U.S. Food Waste
Challenge.
Launched in 2013, the Food Waste Challenge appeals to participants across the
food chain – farms, agricultural processors, food manufacturers, grocery
stores, restaurants, universities, schools, and local governments – to join
efforts to:
·
Reduce
food waste by improving product development, storage, shopping/ordering,
marketing, labeling, and cooking methods;
·
Recover
food waste by connecting potential food donors to hunger relief organizations
like food banks and pantries; and,
·
Recycle
food waste to feed animals or to create compost, bioenergy, and natural
fertilizers.
By
joining the Challenge, organizations and businesses demonstrate their
commitment to reducing food waste, helping to feed the hungry in their
communities, and reducing the environmental impact of wasted food.- See more
at: http://blogs.usda.gov/2015/04/02/new-usda-foodkeeper-app-your-new-tool-for-smart-food-storage/#sthash.No8kWUpd.dpuf
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