The Food Protection Program serves Massachusetts by ensuring a safe and wholesome food supply. It does this by:
  * Developing regulations, policies and interpretations
  * Conducting routine inspections
  * Conducting foodborne illness complaint investigations and responding to other food emergency incidents
  * Participating in cooperative food safety inspection programs with other state, federal and local agencies
  * Offering educational programs
  * Undertaking regulatory enforcement actions such as embargoes, administrative sanction and civil or criminal penalties

RECALL INFORMATION - Click here for information

FOOD SAFETY IN YOUR HOME!!
There may be an enemy in food that you can't see, smell, taste or feel. It can make you sick, this enemy is called bacteria! You can keep your food safe from harmful bacteria by following these four steps:
CLEAN:
Wash your hands and food surfaces often.
  * Wash hands with hot, soapy water before you touch food
  * Wash your cutting boards, dishes, kitchen tools and counter tops after you fix meat, chicken and fish fore using them again
  * Wash dish cloths often in hot water in the washing machine
SEPARATE FOODS:
Don't cross contaminate.
  * Keep raw meat and fish apart from other foods in your shopping cart
  * Put raw meat, chicken or fish below other foods in your refrigerator
  * Use a clean plate for cooked meat or fish
COOK:
Cook foods to safe temperatures.
  * Cook foods thoroughly 
  * Use a food thermometer to check for doneness
  * Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm
  * When you cook in a microwave oven, stir and rotate food. Heat the food all the way through
CHILL:
Refrigerate food promptly.
  * Split leftovers into small amounts and put them in the refrigerator to cool within two hours
  * Marinate foods in the refrigerator
  * Thaw food in the refrigerator (not at room temperature.) You can also thaw food under running water or in the microwave
  * Cook thawed foods immediately