August 25, 2004 -- Washington DC -- The Partnership for Food Safety Education, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating Americans about safe food handling and preparation, recently announced an expanded Board of Directors and the addition of two new members. William Fisher, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for NSF International, has joined the Board of Directors, and the National Food Processors Association (NFPA) and the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) have joined the Partnership.

A leader in consumer health and safety, NSF is working with the Partnership to develop a program for young people that, through stories, songs and games, emphasizes the importance of proper and frequent handwashing as a critical step to maintain general good health.

"The Board will benefit tremendously from NSF's expertise and contributions, particularly as we continue to expand and develop new programs," said Tim Hammonds, Chairman of the Partnership and CEO of the Food Marketing Institute. "The Partnership has worked aggressively over the last year to increase membership and launch new initiatives to continue delivering effective food safety education programming to reduce the incidence of foodborne illness," he continued.

"Today there is an incredible variety of processed food products for consumers to choose from and, just like when handling fresh products, consumers need to concentrate on good sanitary practices during preparation and proper handling and storage to ensure their safety,� said John Cady, NFPA President and CEO. "NFPA looks forward to helping shape and extend the Partnership's messages to address processed foods, particularly in light of the Partnership's renewed commitment to consumer education."

John Connelly, NFI President Institute agreed. “With per capita consumption of seafood increasing, it is more important than ever that we share with consumers the basic safe handling tips that will help promote proper food preparation,� he added. "We are eager to work with the Partnership to improve the ways we communicate with consumers on food safety issues, particularly those related to seafood."