Government agencies team up to fight foodborne illnessAs Americans heat up their grills this summer, the Ad Council and USDA have partnered with FDA and CDC to provide an online tool that inserts food safety tips into users’ recipes.

The Ad Council says the tool is an extension of the national Food Safe Families campaign, a multimedia effort created to raise awareness about the risks of food poisoning and motivate consumers to take action to reduce their risk.

According to the CDC, about 1 in 6 Americans will contract a foodborne illness each year resulting in 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. Illnesses spike in the summer months where the warm weather creates an environment for bacteria to thrive.

The tool, found on FoodSafety.gov, allows users to input recipes directly onto the webpage where food safety tips are automatically inserted. The tips address a recipe’s preparation and cooking instructions as well as the ingredients used.