For Immediate Release

Partnership Contact: Shelley Feist, 202-220-0651

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Agency Contact: Maureen Varnon, 703-963-6398

When Father Knows Best, He Knows How To Fight BAC!^â

New Website Sizzles with Safe Grilling Tips

June 9, 2006 – Washington, D.C. – This Father’s Day, The Partnership for Food Safety Education launches a campaign to remind Dads to follow the Fight BAC!® recommendations and Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill to reduce risk of foodborne illness.

Regardless of who is manning the grill, safe food handling practices are essential for preventing foodborne illness. “Warmer weather means higher risk for harmful bacteria growth,” said Shelley Feist, Executive Director of the Partnership for Food Safety Education. “As the weather heats up, there is an enhanced need for more vigilant food safety practices.”

It is especially important to take extra precautions when preparing perishable foods such as meat, poultry, seafood, egg products, and fruits and vegetables.

The Partnership’s recommendations include:

1) Always wash your hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before and after handling food.

2) Use a food thermometer to insure that food reaches a safe internal temperature. Check fightbac.org for a list of proper temperatures.

3) Never defrost food at room temperature. Defrost foods in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave. Foods thawed by the cold-water method or the microwave method should be cooked immediately.

4) Always marinate foods in the refrigerator.

5) Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw foods including meat, poultry, seafood or eggs.

6) Foods should be kept chilled when outdoors and should never be left out of refrigeration for more than two hours, or one hour if the temperature outdoors is 90°F or higher.

7) When packing a cooler, pack plenty of ice or freezer packs to ensure a constant cold temperature.

The Partnership’s tips for outdoor food preparation and handling are available on the all-new www.fightbac.org. Newly redesigned, the site is fully searchable and includes the most updated safe cooking temperatures, safe handling recommendations, educational materials and more. The site’s “Heat It Up” chart features safe internal temperatures and can be laminated and turned into a magnet for the refrigerator. Kids can add a personal touch for a Father’s Day gift by downloading the chart and personalizing it just for Dad before laminating.

Visit www.fightbac.org today to learn how you can become a BAC! Fighter and join in the effort to prevent foodborne illness in your community.

The Partnership for Food Safety Education unites industry associations, professional societies in food science, nutrition and health, consumer groups and the United States Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency and from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, to educate the public about safe food handling and preparation. The Partnership, a non-profit organization, is the creator and steward of the Fight BAC!® campaign, a food safety education program developed using scientifically based recommendations and resulting from an extensive consumer research process. Fight BAC!® materials are fully accessible online at www.fightbac.org and utilized by consumers, teachers, dietitians, public health officials and extension agents across the United States.

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