The 24/7 Tool: Utilizing Interactive Website Applications for Food Safety Education

Background:  A USDA "Ask Karen" application adminstrator explains how “virtual representative” tools on Websites communicate 24/7 worldwide with consumers.  During the past fiscal year, more than 132,000 page views were accessed by users of the USDA feature. "Ask Karen" resides at www.askkaren.gov. Watch how staff members “chat” live or send e-mail answers to food safety questions via this technology, which also generates usage statistics and reports. Learn about the challenges of maintaining the content. This information technology presentation would demonstrate and explain the programs via a laptop computer and Internet connection. would be provided by the presenter to demonstrate the interactive features of the program.

Program background: Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2010, USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline began as a person-to-person tool, and it continues as such. However, now technical information specialists at the Hotline administer, maintain, and use several electronic applications to impart food safety information.  This “virtual representative” -- available 24/7 nationally and internationally – is designed to display an answer based on the words typed by users of the feature. Ask Karen responds to inquiries from the public about the safe handling, preparation, and storage of meat, poultry, and egg products from an extensive database of food safety information.

Evaluation Methods and Results: In 2009, USDA’s “Ask Karen” Website communications tool was migrated to a new database system with increased features and versatility. The database currently contains approximately 1400 answers in 29 categories, and it used daily by thousands.

Conclusions: This session includes a behind-the-scenes view of how Web-based, automated response systems operate, communicate food safety information, and are updated. Using an Internet connection and a computer projector, the speaker will also show how live “chat” sessions and e-mail requests are handled via this system, and how statistics and reports are generated. 

Implications for research and/or practice: This online Web-based, communication tool is another means of supporting the Agency’s public health focus and educating consumers, one-on-one, about safe food handling behaviors in order to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.  During the past fiscal year, more than 132,000 page views were accessed by users of this feature. "Ask Karen" resides at www.askkaren.gov.ThisThis online Web-based, communication tool is another means of supporting the Agency’s public health focus and educating consumers, one-on-one, about safe food handling behaviors in order to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.