Tyson Foods Introduces Food Wise

Tyson Foods Inc., the poultry industry leader, has expanded its commitment to food safety by launching Food Wise(TM), a comprehensive food safety program. Food Wise is designed to educate customers and consumers on the company's wide- range of food safety procedures and provide tips on how to extend food safety into the home. The Food Wise program includes the 3C's to Cooking Smart education initiative, training for Tyson Team Members, food safety initiatives at Tyson plants and the company's state-of-the-art laboratories.

"For more than 65 years, Tyson team members have been passionate about producing high-quality, wholesome chicken products for our customers and consumers," said Dr. John Copeland, executive vice president of food safety. "Now, Food Wise brings all of our food safety initiatives under one umbrella program."

To help people cook with confidence, the Cooking Smart program provides everyday cooks with valuable food safety tips. Proper techniques for handling and preparing poultry are communicated in three easy-to-remember steps known as the 3 C's: Chill chicken to 40º or less; Clean hands and utensils; and Cook chicken to 170º for white meat and 180º for dark meat and whole birds. All Tyson fresh chicken packaging prominently display the 3C's for easy reference.

"Understanding how to prepare food safely is a concern to many of our consumers," said Sue Quillin, vice president, retail marketing, Tyson consumer products division. "The 3 C's help people feel secure that they are taking the right steps when cooking chicken."

At Tyson, food safety is every team member's job. To keep team members up-to-date on the latest in food safety issues and technology, the company provides consistent and ongoing training. Additionally, in conjunction with the University of Arkansas, Tyson has developed a distance-learning program that provides team members an opportunity to receive certification in HACCP (the USDA's Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point System) and Food Safety Management and allows them to pursue a bachelor and/or masters degree in food safety.

"The distance learning program is the first of its kind in agribusiness and is one example of how Tyson is leading the way in food safety," said Copeland.

All of Tyson's 83 plants work diligently to make sure that the HACCP system rules and regulations are met or exceeded. Additionally, each plant has a sophisticated computerized system to track inventory that includes plant, line and time of day information in bar code format on each product.

An advanced laboratory system oversees all Tyson's farms and plants. The state-of-the-art system includes labs at each plant as well as three USDA-certified corporate laboratories. The USDA certification ensures that the laboratories and technicians who work there are trained and up- to-date on current approved procedures.

For more information on Cooking Smart and Tyson food safety, visit their web site at www.tyson.com