• Are you on a special diet and need to know more about a specific product?

• Do you need information on safely handling perishable foods?

• Do you want to know more about using a particular food in a recipe?

If so, you can call the toll-free numbers listed here for professional help. You'll get the assistance you need, and your call will help the company or organization track what consumers are thinking and what they need to know about food products.

Here are some tips for using toll-free numbers:

• To learn if there is a hotline for an organization or company, call directory assistance at 1-800-555-1212. 

• New food hotlines are continually being added. Also, some numbers change or are dropped. Check product labels for further hotline information if some of these numbers are discontinued. Or call directory assistance at 1-800-555-1212. 

• Many hotlines are very popular. Grab a favorite book or magazine in case you have to wait before your call goes through. 

• Some hotlines ask callers with touch tone phones to push various numbers to reach the area of needed assistance. It may help to have a paper and pencil handy. Or, many times, you can wait for a live operator even if you have a touch tone phone. 

• "Store brands" usually don't carry hotline numbers. Check with the place of purchase if you have a question about these products. 

• Many food companies will provide recipes for their products. Check with them if you are looking for recipe information. 

• The hotline numbers in this publication are arranged according to these categories: 

Part 1: Food Companies/Food-Related Associations & Organizations

• Dairy Foods
• Fruits & Vegetables
• Grain Products
• Meat, Poultry, Fish, Eggs & Legumes
• Miscellaneous

Part 3: General Food, Nutrition, Food Safety and Health Information 

Part 4: Appliances, Equipment and Cookware

Part 1: Dairy Foods

Dannon Yogurt
1-800-321-2174 

Kraft, Inc. (cheeses, macaroni and cheese dinners)
1-800-323-0768 

Lactaid, Inc. (source of tablet, "Lactaid" for lactose intolerance - sample available)
1-800-522-8243 

Land O' Lakes, Inc. (butter, sour cream, etc.)
1-800-328-4155 

Pet Inc. (Pillsbury) (evaporated/dried milk and other products)
1-800-325-7130 

Dairy Council of Central States
1-800-279-2643

Part 1: Fruits & Vegetables

Dole (fruit and fruit products)
1-800-232-8800 

Freida's Finest Produce (answers questions about calories, storage and cooking of exotic produce)
1-800-421-9477 

Green Giant (Pillsbury Company)
1-800-767-4466 

Kraft General Foods
1-800-431-1001 (general information)

Minute Maid Juices (Coca Cola Foods)
1-800-438-2653 

Mott's (juices & applesauce)
1-800-426-4891 

Sunkist (citrus fruits)
1-800-248-7875

Part 1: Grain Products

General Mills, Inc.
1-800-328-6787 (Gold Medal Flour, Bisquick, Betty Crocker Cake Mixes, Soft as Silk Cake Flour)
1-800-328-1144 (cereals)
1-800-231-0308 (snacks)

Kellogg's (mainly cereals and breakfast products)
1-800-962-1413 

Kraft General Foods
1-800-431-1001 (general information)
1-800-431-1003 (Minute Rice/Post cereals)

Nabisco
1-800-932-7800 

Nebraska Wheat Board
471-2358 (Lincoln)

Pillsbury
1-800-767-4466

Bread-Making/Bread Machine Information

Part 1: Meat, Poultry, Fish, Eggs & Legumes

Butterball Turkey (answers questions on turkey preparation)
1-800-288-8372 (year-round)
1-800-323-4848 (Nov.-Dec.) 

Eggbeaters (Nabisco Brands)
1-800-932-7800 

Egg Nutrition Center
1-800-833-3447 

Hormel Foods Corporation Consumer Affairs
1-800-523-4635 

Nabisco (Fleischmanns Egg Beaters)
1-800-932-7800 

Nebraska Beef Council
1-800-421-5326 

Nebraska Dry Bean Commission
(no toll-free number, can be reached by writing: 4502 Avenue I, Scottsbluff, NE 69361)

Nebraska Pork Producers Association
472-2563 (Lincoln)

Nebraska Poultry Industries, Inc. (egg and turkey questions)
472-2051 (Lincoln) 

Nebraska Soybean Program (includes information about tofu)
1-800-852-2326 

Seafood Hotline (FDA)  (proper handling, safety, nutrition, and storage of fish)
1-800-332-4010 

Taylor Kitchen Thermometer Hotline
1-888-298-2956 (recorded message on food safety temperatures) 

Tyson Foods, Inc. (beef, pork, poultry and seafood products - give freezing, thawing and nutritional information)
1-800-233-6332 

United Soybean Board (includes information about tofu)
1-800-825-5769 

USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline (correct handling, label, nutrition and food safety information)
1-800-535-4555

Part 1: Miscellaneous

Artificial Sweeteners

Sunette (acesulfame K)
1-800-344-5807 

Sweet `n' Low (saccharin)
1-800-221-1763 

Sweet One (acesulfame K)
1-800-544-8610

Baby Foods

Gerber
1-800-443-7237 

Heinz
1-800-872-2229

Spices and Flavorings

Mrs. Dash Sodium Information Hotline (answers questions about sodium content of foods and gives recipe ideas using Mrs. Dash, a seasoning blend for people trying to lower the salt content of foods)
1-800-622-3274 

Tone Spice's Advice Line
1-800-247-5251

Other

Bertolli Olive Oil
1-800-908-9789 

Butter Buds
1-800-231-1123 

Campbell's
1-800-257-8443 

Coca-Cola
1-800-438-2653 

Con Agra Foods
1-800-722-1344 

Cool Whip (General Foods)
1-800-431-1001 

Hershey Food Corporation (chocolate products)
1-800-468-1714 

International Olive Oil Hotline (also answers questions about oil in general)
1-800-232-6548 

Jell-O (Kraft General Foods)
1-800-431-1001 

Kraft, Inc. (mayonnaise, dressing)
1-800-323-0768 

Land of Lakes Holiday Bake Line
(operates during November and December, answers questions on holiday baking)
1-800-782-9606 

Minute Maid
1-800-888-6488 

National Honey Board
1-800-356-5941 

Nestle Foods Corporation
1-800-456-4117 (general information)
1-800-637-8537 (baking and candy questions)
1-800-637-8539 ( tea, coffee, juices, chocolate, drink mixes) 

Pepsi Cola
1-800-433-2652 

Proctor and Gamble
1-800-766-7309 (Puritan or Crisco Oil)

Saran Wrap (Dow Brands)
1-800-428-4795

Part 2: Food Preservation

Canning Products/Food Preservation

Certo (Kraft) (a liquid pectin for making jelly)
1-800-431-1001 

Dow Brands (SE Johnson & Wax) (answer questions about freezing in ziploc bags)
1-800-428-4795 

Ever-Fresh (prevents fruits from browning)
1-800-431-1001 

Fruit Fresh (Ball & Kerr) (prevents fruits from browning)
1-800-240-3340 

Kitchen Krafts (source of hard-to-find canning supplies, including Clear Jel starch, a thickener used in some canned pie filling recipes)
1-800-776-0575 

Mirro (pressure canner information)
1-800-558-7797 

Presto (canner information)
1-800-877-0441 

Sure Jell (a powdered pectin for making jelly)
1-800-437-3284 

Sweet Celebrations (source of Clear Jel A and other unusual products)
1-800-328-6722

Part 3: General Food, Nutrition, Food Safety & Health Information

American Council on Exercise
1-800-234-9229 

American Diabetes Association
1-800-232-3472 (National)
489-5115 (Lincoln)

American Heart Association
1-800-642-8400 (Omaha)
489-5115 (Lincoln)

American Institute for Cancer Research
1-800-843-8114 

Arthritis Foundation
421-3311 (Lincoln)

Ask-A-Nurse
473-5500 (Lincoln) 

Calcium Information Center
1-800-321-2681 

Dial-a-Registered Dietitian
483-9475 (Lincoln)

Federal Information Center (helps you find the agency you need)
1-800-735-8004 

Food Allergy Network
1-800-929-4040 

Lincoln City Libraries
(source of cookbooks - check phone book for phone number of library nearest you. If you are unable to get to the library because of temporary or extended disability, extended illness, or are otherwise restricted to your home, you are eligible for "Home Outreach by Mail". Call 441-8548 for more information. For the book mobile schedule for additional sites within Lincoln and surrounding towns where books may be obtained, call 441-8547. You can call and order items to be delivered at these sites.

Lincoln Council on Alcoholism & Drugs
475-2694 

Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department
441-8000 

March of Dimes (birth defects)
464-6612 

National Cancer Institute
1-800-422-6237 

National Health Information Center
(will direct you to appropriate agency, i.e. cancer, alcohol, allergies, etc.)
1-800-336-4797 

National Lead Information Center
1-800-424-5323 (safety of soil & food)
1-800-532-3394 (general topics)

National Osteoporosis Foundation
1-800-223-9994 

National Pesticide Telecommunications Network (information regarding specific pesticides)
1-800-858-7378 

Nebraska Department of Aging (general health and nutrition information)
1-800-942-7830 

Poison Control Center
1-800-955-9119 

Safe Drinking Water Hotline, EPA (information on drinking water contaminants)
1-800-426-4791 

State Department of Health
471-2781 (nutrition & chronic disease, Kathy Goddard, R.D.)
471-2122 (water testing)

University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County(nutrition & food safety)
441-7180

Emergency Food Assistance

Lincoln Action Program
471-4515

Part 4: Appliances, Equipment & Cookware

Braun (retailers, parts/service, general questions)
1-800-272-8622 

Fridgadaire (retailers, parts/service, general questions)
1-800-451-7007 

General Electric (major appliance repair/parts and lightbulb/battery questions)
1-800-626-2000 

Kelvinator (retainers, parts/service, general questions)
1-800-323-7773 

Mirro, Foley, Wearever, Rema (products, parts, etc.)
1-800-558-7797 

Panasonic/Quasar
1-800-545-2672 

Revere Copper & Brass
1-800-624-9218 

Tappan (retailers, parts/service, general questions)
1-800-537-5530 

Weber Steven Products
1-800-446-1071 

Whirlpool/Kitchen Aid (retailers, parts/service, general questions)
1-800-253-1301 

White-Westinghouse (general product questions)
1-800-245-0600 

University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County;
444 Cherrycreek Road; Lincoln, NE 68528; (402) 441-7180 

(July '98)