University of California Cooperative Extension San Luis Obispo County Consumer Toll-Free Helplines and Websites
| Arm & Hammer™ | Consumer Helpline 1-800-524-1328 Weekdays 9 am - 5 pm (EST) Answers to product questions. | Website: www.armhammer.com Company and product information. Ideas about how and where the product can be used. |
| Butterbuds™ | Consumer Helpline 1-800-231-1123 Weekdays 9 am-10 pm (EST) Answers to product questions. | Website: www.butterbuds.com Company information, recipes, FAQ's, and nutrition information about Butterbud™ products |
| Dole Consumer Center™ | Consumer Helpline 1-800-232-8888 Weekdays 8 am-3 pm (PST) Product information. Order a free nutrition newsletter offered twice a month. | Website: www.dole.com Company information, healthy recipes, nutrition information, promotions, and online interactive activities for children that promote health and nutrition. |
Nutrition, Family, & Consumer Sciences
Food Manufacturers
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| Eckrich Lunch Meats and Sausages™ | Consumer Helpline 1-800-325-7424 Weekdays 8:30-4:30 (CST) Answers to product questions. | Website: www.eckrichbrand.com Company information, products, news, recipes, nutrition, and storage information. |
| Equal/ Nutrasweet™ | Consumer Affairs 1-800-323-5316 Weekdays 8am- 5 pm (EST) Answers to product questions. | Website: www.equal.com Company information, recipes, products, health and nutrition information, and FAQ's. |
| Fleishman's™ | Consumer Helpline 1-800-777-4959 Weekdays 9am -4 pm (CST) Answers to product questions. | Website: www.breadworld.com Recipes, baking tips, easy recipes and ideas for baking with children. Metric conversion table. |
| Freida's Inc.™ (Exotic Produce Company) | Consumer Helpline 1-800-241-1771 Weekdays 7:30 am-4:30 pm (PST) Answers to product questions. | Website: www.freidas.com Company information, recipes and information about fruits, vegetables and specialty items. |
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| Gerber™ | Consumer Helpline 1-800-4 GERBER 24 hours daily Answers to product questions. Information for parents on feeding their children | Website: www.gerber.com Company information, baby and toddler feeding information, FAQ's, parent's resource center, 24 hour specialists available online, special offers. |
| Hershey's Foods™ | Consumer Helpline 1-800-468-1714 Weekdays 9 am-4 pm Answers to product questions. | Website: http://www.hersheys.com/ Recipes, nutrition information, and shelf-life guidelines. |
| Hilshire™ | Consumer Helpline 1-800-EAT-A-HAM (1-800-328-2426) Weekdays 8 am-6 pm (EST) Answers to product questions. | Website :www.hilshirefarm.com General product information, nutrition information and recipes for Hillshire ™ products. |
| Hormel™ | Consumer Helpline 1-800-523-4635 Weekdays 8 am -4 pm (CST) Answers to product questions. | Website: http://www.hormel.com/home.asp Recipes and nutrient composition of Hormel products. |
| Kellog Company™ | Consumer Affairs 1-800-962-1413 Weekdays 8 am-8 pm (PST) Product information and educational resources. | Website: www.kelloggs.comProduct and nutrition information, recipes, promotions, "Healthy Beginnings"- an interactive nutrition website. |
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| Kitchen Kraft™ | Consumer Helpline 1-800-776-0575 Weekdays 9am-4 pm (CST) Answers to product questions. | Website: www.kitchenkraft.com Information on baking, candy making, cake decorating and food preservation. Information about hard-to-find ingredients and gadgets for the kitchen. |
| Kosher Poultry™ | Consumer Affairs 1-800-367-4734 (recording) or 1-717-436-7055 (live) Monday-Thursday 8 am-4:30 pm, Friday 8 am-3 pm (EST), Closed al secular Jewish holidays. Information about Kosher poultry, general cooking instructions, and FAQ's. | Website: www.empirekosher.com Information on kosher processing, poultry handling and preparation, kosher recipes and nutrition information. Newsletter available. |
| Kraft™ | Consumer Helpline 1-800-323-0768 Weekdays 9 am-9 pm (EST) General product information. | Website: www.kraftfoods.com Website services provide information about Kraft products, recipe ideas, nutritional information and a "healthy living" section focused on health and nutrition. |
| Land O' Lakes™ | Consumer Helpline 1-800-782-9606 During the months of October 1-December 31, call 1-800-837-7702 (CST) to receive a free holiday brochure. | Website: www.landolakes.com Website services include product information, recipes, cooking and baking assistance, and FAQ's. |
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| Lawry's Foods, Inc™ | Consumer Helpline 1-800-952-9797 Weekdays 8:30 am-6 pm Representatives available to answer product questions. | Website: www.lawrys.com Product and nutrition information. |
| Mrs. Dash™/ Molly McButter™ | Consumer Helpline 1-800-622-3274 Weekdays 9 am-4 pm (EST) Representatives available to answer questions about Mrs. Dash ™ and Molly Mcbutter™ products. | Website: www.mollymcbutter.com Product information, recipes and cooking tips. Website: www.mrsdash.com Product information, sodium information, cooking tips and recipes. |
| Nabisco™ | Consumer Helpline 1-800-932-7800 9 am-9 pm (EST) Product information, recipes, healthy snacking ideas, recipes and promotions | Website: www.nabisco.com Brand and product information, snack ideas, recipes and promotions. |
| Omaha Steaks™ | Consumer Helpline 1-800-228-2778 24 hours daily Representatives available to answer product questions 24 hours a day. | Website: www.omahasteaks.com Product information, cooking tips, recipes ordering information, and customer service. |
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| Pillsbury™ | Consumer Helpline 1-800-767-4466 Weekdays 8 am-7 pm Answers to all product questions. | Website: www.pillsbury.com Product information, recipes, meal planning ideas, Spanish translation available. |
| Spice Island Spices™ and Dromedary™Mixes | Consumer Helpline 1-800-247-5251 Weekdays 9 am-4 pm (CST) Recordings about storage and shelf life, FAQ's and spice advice. | Website: www.spiceadvice.com Recipes, spice usage questions, spice encyclopedia, spice history, FAQ's. |
| Sweet' N Low™ | Consumer Helpline 1-800-221-1763 Weekdays 9 am-5 pm (EST) Product information and customer service. | Website: www.sweetnlow.com Product information, information on diabetes, nutrition information, FAQ's and recipes for sugar alternatives. |
| Sweet One™ (Sunette) | Consumer Helpline 1-800-544-8610 Weekdays 9 am-5 pm (EST) Information about Sweet One ™ products and product availability | Website: www.sweetone.com FAQ's about sugar substitutes, ordering information, and recipes for baking and cooking. |
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| Tyson-Holly Farms™ Consumer Information Line | Consumer Helpline 1-800-233-6332 Weekdays 8 am-5 pm (CST) Information about nutrition, safe handling and preparation techniques for Tyson-Holly Farms ™ poultry and meat products. | Website: www.tyson.com Product information and recipes for Tyson™ products. |
| Butterball Turkey™ | Consumer Helpline 1-800-BUTTERBALL (1-800-288-837-2255) Weekdays 10 am-7 pm (CST) Information about turkey preparation, safe handling, cooking assistance, and product questions. | Website: www.butterball.comWebsite offers recipes, general product information, and informational newsletter. |
| FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition | Helpline 1-888-SAFE-FOOD (1-888-7233-3663) Weekdays 10 am-4 pm (EST) Automated information line 24 hours daily. Outreach and information center for consumers seeking reliable food safety information. | Website: www.cfsan.fda.gov Information and links to programs focused on food safety, recent food safety news, food labeling, consumer advice and publications and special interest areas. |
Food Safety
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| Fight Bac | Website http://www.fightbac.org/main.cfm Partnership of government, industry, and consumer groups established to educate consumers about food safety. English and Spanish. | ||
| National Lead Information Center | Helpline 1-800-424-LEAD (5323) Weekdays 8:30-6 pm Answers to questions about lead poisoning and prevention. English and Spanish. | Website: www.epa.gov/lead Basic information and facts about lead, lead in the news, rules and regulations, education and outreach materials, and training and certification courses. | |
| National Pesticide Telecommunications Network | Helpline 1-800-858-7378 Weekdays 6:30-4:30 pm (PST) Information from trained staff about pesticides, safety issues and referrals for disposal. | Website: http://npic.orst.edu General and technical information about pesticides and pesticide control. | |
| UC Food Safety | Website http://www.ucfoodsafety.ucdavis.edu/ Links to presentations, publications, and other websites with information related to the production, harvest, and processing of foods. The emphasis is on microbial food safety but many other subjects related to food such as biotechnology, food quality and food security are also addressed. | ||
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| UC Davis Seafood Network Information Center | Website http://seafood.ucdavis.edu/ Consumer seafood information, educational resources, recipes, seafood safety and storage, and much more. | ||
| UC Davis Food Safe Program | Website http://foodsafe.ucdavis.edu/ Hot topics in food safety, consumer advice, pesticide use, food industry resources, food industry referrals and much more. | ||
| USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline | Helpline 1-800-535-4555 Weekdays 10 am-4 pm (EST), Thanksgiving day 8 am-2 pm (EST) Recorded food safety messages can be heard 24 hours a day. Food safety specialists available to answer questions related to food safety, food handling methods, food storage and preparation questions about meat, poultry, and egg products. | Website http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Food_Safety_Education/usda_meat_&_poultry_hotline/index.asp Website offers information on food safety education programs and worksheets for kids and teens, common food safety questions, recent food and product recalls and information on food safety and emergency preparedness. | |
| US EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline | Hotline 1-800-426-4791 Weekdays 10 am-4 pm (EST)Information on safe drinking water regulations, submit comments about local drinking water quality. Referrals to State Lab certification officer for water testing. | Website: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ General information about ground and drinking water, FAQ's, local drinking water information current news and educational materials for children and teachers. | |
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| Consumer Product Safety Commission | Hotline 1-800-638-CPSC Weekdays 8:30 am-5 pm (EST) Information about household product safety and product recalls. English and Spanish. | Website www.cpsc.gov Health and safety news, product recalls, publications, report and unsafe product. |
| Food and Drug Administration | Hotline 1-888-463-6332 Weekdays 8 am-5 pm (EST) Call to receive information or to report problems with FDA-regulated products. | Website www.fda.gov FDA regulated products, information, FDA activities, FDA news and hot topics. |
| National Cancer Institute | Cancer Information Service Hotline 1-800-4-CANCER Weekdays 9 am-4:30 pm Cancer information specialists answer questions on cancer, help with quitting smoking, and can provide informational materials. English & Spanish. | Website www.cancer.gov Extensive information on the different types of cancer, research, news, cancer treatments, statistics and general support and resource information. |
Government Health and Safety Agencies
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| National Health Information Center | Referral Specialists 1-800-336-4797 Weekdays 9 am-5:30 PM (EST) Refers health professionals and people with health and medical questions to public and private health organizations best suited for their needs. | Website www.health.gov/nhic/ Links to the health information resource database which provides referrals to public and private health organizations. English and Spanish databases available. |
| National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute | Health Information Line 1-800-575-WELL 24 hour recording Information on how to prevent and treat high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Also, information on the "Heart Truth," the national women's heart awareness campaign. | Website www.nhlbi.nih.gov Health information on various conditions. Health assessment tools, educational tutorials, and recipes for healthy eating available. Clinical practice guidelines, information and resources for health professionals and researchers. |
Note: For additional government sites, check the food safety section on page 7.
American Diabetes Association
Hotline
1-800-342-2383
Weekdays 8:30 am- 8 pm (EST)
General information about diabetes. English & Spanish.
Website
www.diabetes.org
Diabetes information, nutrition and recipes, prevention and research, resources for parents, kids, and health professionals. English and Spanish.
National Health Associations
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American Dietetic Association
Hotline
1-800-366-1655
Recorded messages on fat, cholesterol, nutrition information, weight control and referrals to nutrition professionals in specific areas. English & Spanish. Message available 24 hours a day. To speak with a registered dietitian, call 1-900-CALL-A-RD
Website
www.eatright.org
Food and nutrition information, resources for nutrition professionals.
American Institute for Cancer Research
Hotline
1-800-843-8114
Weekdays 8:30 am-6 pm (EST)
Information about cancer prevention and research.
Website
www.aicr.org
Website services include online consultations with registered dietitians who specialize in cancer and nutrition related areas. Brochures about cancer and cancer prevention can be requested by phone or mail.
American Harvest/Harvest Maid (Nesco) ™
Consumer Hotline
1-800-288-4545
Weekdays 8 am-6 pm
Information about dehydrators, roasters, and ovens. Accepts phone orders.
Website
www.nesco.com
General information about dehydrators, roasters and ovens, recipes, Nesco
™ newsletter and safety recalls.Food Preservation
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Ball and Kerr Home Canning™
Consumer Hotline
1-800-240-3340
Weekdays 8:30-4:30 pm (EST)
Information about home canning, freezing, dehydrating, and other food preservation topics and food safety issues.
Website
www.homecanning.com
Information on home canning, FAQ's, and recipes.
Mirro Company™
Consumer Hotline
1-800-527-7727
Information about pressure cookers, canners, cookware, bakeware, and food safety.
Website
www.pressurecooker-outlet.com/mirropressurecanners.htm
Information on Mirro
™ products, ordering parts and products, and FAQ's.Mrs. Wages/ Precision Foods™
Consumer Hotline
1-800-458-0959 x204
Weekdays 6:30 am-3:30 pm (CST)
Information about pickling and canning.
Website
www.precisionfoods.com/
Foodservice product information, retail product information, customer service.
Presto™
Consumer Hotline
1-800-877-0441
Weekdays 8 am-4:30 pm (CST)
Parts, products, and pressure gauge testing information.
Website
www.gopresto.com
Information about products and parts, cooking and recipes, and ordering information.
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Consumer Product Safety Commission
Consumer Hotline
1-800-638-CPSC
Recording of recalls and safety information; takes complaint calls only. English & Spanish.
Website
http://www.cpsc.gov/
Product safety news and product recalls, e-mail newsletter, product safety publications available online. English and Spanish.
Social Security
Consumer Hotline
1-800-772-1213
Weekdays 7 am-7 pm
24 hour recorded information
.Information about social services and local office information.
Website
www.socialsecurity.gov
Information about retirement, Medicare, and disability.
Johnson Wax™
Consumer Hotline
1-800-428-4795
Information about JohnsonDiversey
™products.
Website
www.jwp.com/
Information about products and programs and recent news.
Consumer Economics
Government
Industry
Appliances/Housewares
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Kitchen Aide™
Consumer Helpline
1-800-422-1230
Product information and complaint calls about household and portable devices.
Website
http://www.kitchenaid.com/home.jsp
Product information, customer service, gift ideas.
Panasonic™
Consumer Helpline
1-800-973-4326
Assistance with product-related issues, receives complaints.
Website
http://www.panasonic.com/support/about_panasonic.asp
Information about Panasonic™ products and customer support.
Weber Grills™ Customer Service
Consumer Helpline
1-800-446-1071
24 hours daily
BBQ experts offer product information and answers to cooking questions, food safety concerns.
Website
www.weber.com
Product information, recipes and tips, and product recalls.
Whirlpool™
Consumer Helpline
1-800-253-1301
Monday-Saturday 8 am-9 pm
Product information and service referrals.
Website
www.whirlpool.com
Products, parts and accessories, customer support.
Wisk™
Consumer Helpline
1-800-ASK-WISK
Product information, customer service, information about stain removal and garment care.
Website
www.wisk.com
Product information and laundry tips.
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Anso/ Allied Fibers™ Warranty Line
Consumer Helpline
1-800-441-8185
Weekdays 8 am-8 pm
Answers to questions about Allied Fibers™ Carpets.
Website
DuPont™ Flooring
Helpline
1-800-4-DUPONT
Weekdays 9 am-5 pm (EST)
Staining and warranty information about Stain Master products only.
Website
http://www2.dupont.com/DuPont_Home/en_US/
Information about DuPont™ products, recent news and events.
Solutia Weardated Carpets™
Consumer Helplines
1-800-633-3208
Information on Monsanto carpets and a message center for Solutia™ products.
Website
http://www.weardated.com/
Carpet catalog, carpet 101, carpet buying guide, stain removal guide.
3M/Scotchguard™
Consumer Helplines
1-800-433-3296
Weekdays 8 am-6 pm (CST)
Scotchgaurd™ Stain resistance carpets and furniture stain warranty center.
Website
http://www.3m.com/us/home_leisure/scotchgard/
Product information, tips, FAQ's.
Carpet/ Flooring
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Chemtrec Information
Consumer Helpline
1-800-CMA-8200
Weekdays 8 am-5 pm (EST) connects to a 24 hour EMERGENCY hotline.
A public service of the Chemical Manufacturer's Association providing emergency communications for hazardous materials.
Website
http://chemtrec.com/Chemtrec/
Product and service information, resources, regulations, ordering information.
California Department of Insurance Consumer Hotline
Consumer Helpline
1-800-927-HELP
Information on health, life, residence, and auto insurance. English & Spanish.
Weekdays 8 am-6 pm (PST)Website
http://www.insurance.ca.gov/
Consumer and industry information about insurance.
National Insurance Consumer Hotline
Consumer Helpline
1-800-942-4242
Weekdays 8 am-8 pm (EST)
Free information about basic auto, home, business, and life insurance questions. Provides insurance company names and phone numbers but cannot make referrals.
Chemical
Insurance
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For other toll-free numbers check product labels or call the toll-free telephone directory at 1-800-555-1212.
To simplify information, trade names of products and/or company names have been used. No endorsement of named products and/or companies is intended, nor is criticism implied of similar products and/or companies which are not mentioned.
The University of California prohibits discrimination against or harassment of any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics), ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, or status as a covered veteran (special disabled veteran, Vietnam-era veteran or any other veteran who served on active duty during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized). University Policy is intended to be consistent with the provisions of applicable State and Federal laws. Inquiries regarding the University's nondiscrimination policies may be directed to the Affirmative Action/Staff Personnel Services Director, University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, 1111Franklin St., 6th Floor, Oakland, CA 94607-5200 (510) 987-0096. Compiled by: Johanna Kammerer, BS and Shirley Peterson, MS, RD
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