U.S. health officials have unveiled a new consumer website (www.foodsafety.gov), which is designed to help consumers obtain the latest information on food safety and food recalls in one location.

The site features information from all the agencies across the federal government that deal with critical food and food safety information, including preventive tips about how to handle food safely, alerts on life-saving food recalls, and the latest news from the key agencies.

Consumers can sign up to receive e-mail and RSS alerts on recalled or potentially unsafe food, while also getting information from scientific experts across the government on food safety.

Later phases of the site to be launched will include recall feeds for texting and mobile phones. The site will also feature a foodsafety.gov widget that the public and media can download and promote on their websites and social networking pages. The widget will instantly update viewers with the latest food safety recalls.

Leaders from Health and Human Services (HHS) and USDA praised the new site and said it would be a valuable tool in their efforts to keep the food supply safe and consumers healthy.

“Protecting the health and well-being of the American people is a fundamental responsibility of the federal government,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Our new and innovative approach to connecting consumers to food safety information in an easy and timely manner is a critical improvement in this effort.”

“The highest mission of any government is keeping its citizens safe,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “In this administration, we see public health as an essential part of that mission and this new website as an essential way we can help keep people safe from unhealthy food and food handling practices and up-to-date on critical food recalls. Consumers no longer will have to search around in different places trying to figure out which agency manages which food product. All the information that they will need will be one easy place at www.foodsafety.gov.”

FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg also said this site “focuses on prevention by highlighting the steps both businesses and consumers can take to avoid illness. It also will be a clearinghouse for information on the latest FDA rules and guidance.”

“Health departments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) rely on information from many places, including consumers, when it comes to tracking food-borne illnesses across the country and the world,” said CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden. “With this new website, consumers will quickly know who to contact if they believe they became ill from eating a certain food. Those reports of illness can help us identify potential outbreaks sooner and strengthen our efforts to protect Americans from unsafe food and food-borne illness.”