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Consumer Toll-Free Helplines

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 Hillshireproducts.

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.com

Product 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. Dashand Molly Mcbutterproducts.

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 Oneproducts 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 Farmspoultry and meat products.

Website:

www.tyson.com

Product information and recipes for Tysonproducts.

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.com

Website 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, Nesconewsletter 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 Mirroproducts, 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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