Washington, DC, November 14, 2001 - Basting a juicy turkey with all the trimmings is the hallmark of a perfect Thanksgiving meal. About this time every year, chefs in kitchens across the country fret over how to cook a turkey just right but often forget practical tips for safely preparing their meat of choice.

"While the United States food supply is among the safest in the world, harmful bacteria can still find its way into our kitchens," said Melanie Miller, executive director of the Partnership and its Fight BAC!™ campaign. "By distributing brochures in the grocery departments of all their supercenters nationwide during the holidays, Wal-Mart will support us in protecting consumers against foodborne illness."

"Thanksgiving begins the season of parties and Wal-Mart and the Partnership for Food Safety Education are working together to educate the public about food safety," said Bruce Peterson, senior vice president and general merchandise manager-perishables for Wal‑Mart. "By following a few simple steps, people can reduce their risk of getting sick when preparing holiday meals."

A recent University of Arizona study on bacteria in the home revealed that kitchen items such as sponges and cutting boards harbored more bacteria than a toilet seat. To rid these kitchen hot zones of bacteria, The Fight BAC!™ campaign recommends consumers follow these easy steps for food preparation: clean, separate, cook and chill.

Holiday Buffet Tips-Leaving foods out for long periods of time allow bacteria to grow. Keep hot foods at 140 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer. Keep cold foods in bowls of ice chilled at 40 degrees or colder.

Clean- Washing your hands with soap and water is the best bacteria buster. Keep your kitchen, utensils and dishes clean by using a clean cloth or paper towels to clean surfaces.

Separate- Keep raw meat, poultry and seafood away from fruits and vegetables so juices won’t cross contaminate food.

Cook- Cook foods thoroughly, poultry to 180 degrees Fahrenheit, roast beef to 145 degrees Fahrenheit for medium rare, and ground beef to 160 degrees. Reheat hot foods and leftovers to 165 degrees.

Chill- Don't leave foods at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Promptly store leftovers in small, shallow, containers. Make sure the refrigerator is at 40 degrees and the freezer is at 0 degrees.

For more helpful tips on food safety and suggestions on household products to use and those to avoid when battling bacteria, visit www.walmartstores.com and click on the food safety tips icon. Brochures are also available in the grocery departments of Wal‑Mart Supercenters nationwide.

Fight BAC!™ is a national consumer education campaign sponsored by the Partnership for Food Safety Education, a coalition of industry, government and consumer groups. The campaign is designed to teach consumers about the importance of food safety and reduce the incidence of foodborne illness. For more information on how to fight foodborne bacteria and handle food safely, visit www.fightbac.org.

With annual sales of $191 billion, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates more than 2,600 discount stores, Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets, and more than 480 SAM'S CLUBS in the United States. Internationally, the company operates more than 1,080 units. Wal-Mart employs 962,000 associates in the United States and 282,000 in other countries. The company's securities are listed on the New York and Pacific stock exchanges under the symbol WMT. Last year Wal-Mart associates raised and contributed more than $190 million to support communities and local non-profit organizations. FORTUNE magazine has named Wal-Mart the third "most admired" company in America and one of the 100 best companies to work for in the United States, and Americans named Wal-Mart the company they think of first in supporting local causes and issues, according to Cone, Inc. More information about Wal-Mart can be located on-line at http://www.walmartstores.com. The SAM'S CLUB Web site can be accessed at http://www.samsclub.com. And more information about Wal-Mart's Good Works community involvement is available online at http://www.walmartfoundation.org.