Bremer County, Iowa 4-H Learns Safe Food Handling

January 26, 2015

Moriah and Reba, two high school students from the Bremer County, Iowa Tri-River Trendsetters 4-H Club used Fight BAC! materials to teach thirteen young Cloverbuds about food safety. The Cloverbuds got a kick out of the BAC story – Moriah and Reba used silly voices to tell a story about harmful foodborne bacteria. Moriah and Reba went the extra mile, making a coloring book for each child in the group.

Moriah will use what she learned about the core four food safety practices in the upcoming 4-H fair when she submits a project on food safety. The Partnership for Food Safety Education salutes Moriah and Reba for their work to Fight BAC!

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Harrisburg University of Science & Technology Promotes Food Safety

January 26, 2015

Dr. Rene Massengale and her team from Harrisburg University of Science & Technology promoted food safety at the 2011 Pennsylvania Farm show in January 2011. Dr. Massengale is a food and water quality scientist. Her research focuses on the topics of food safety and quality.

This was the Harrisburg team’s first time presenting at this very busy event; the Farm Show tends to attract over half-a-million people each year and is one of the nation’s largest indoor agriculture events.

The Harrisburg University team’s engaging and fun exhibit featured a mock kitchen with real cabinet doors and a counter top. The Partnership for Food Safety Education’s Mythbusters food safety myths were displayed on the front of the cabinet doors; the answers were revealed on the inside of the doors. They also included the Mythbusters Quiz Game in their display.

Fight BAC! In Assisted Living Communities

January 26, 2015

Lucy Dobson, a BAC! Fighter from Maryland, trains assisted living staffers on various practices that would improve conditions for the elderly, including proper food handling practices. Lucy feels that the senior population is underserved and is the population most vulnerable to foodborne illness. Fight BAC! materials are essential to her training demonstrations. Lucy’s trainees are often shocked to learn that meat and poultry should not be washed before cooking! Lucy is a dedicated BAC! Fighter with an altruistic streak – she often drops off her extra Fight BAC! materials at her local YMCA to spread the word about safe food handling.

The Partnership commends Lucy’s efforts and true dedication to reducing foodborne illness, especially in such a vulnerable community!

Safe Kids Day

January 26, 2015

Dr. Beth Canfield-Simbro Teaches Food Safety to Kids and Parents

Dr. Beth Canfield-Simbro, an Associate Professor of Public Health & Health Education at the University of Mount Union, used Fight BAC!® materials at Safe Kids Day. The University partnered with the Stark County, Ohio Health Department and many other community organizations to host this family event, aimed at providing safety tips of all kinds. Over 170 children attended this years’ fair. Beth taught food safety to kids and their parents using an interactive display with small refrigerator and a bunch of plastic foods. Children loved guessing which foods had to go in the fridge, and which could stay out safely. Beth also gave away cooking temperature magnets to help families Fight BAC at home after Safe Kids Day was over.

Teaching Food Safety in the Classroom

January 26, 2015

TRACY AJELLO WAS AN AUTHOR OF THE ORIGINAL FIGHT BAC! MATERIALS

“Raise your hand if you have leftovers in your fridge” says Tracy Ajello, a 5th grade teacher at Doolittle School in Cheshire, Connecticut. Hands shoot up in the air. Tracy often starts her lessons with a question to help her students make the connection between her food safety lessons and life at home. At school cookouts, Tracy shows children how to properly use a food thermometer – most have never seen a food thermometer and are quick to tattle-tail on their parents.

A veteran BAC! Fighter, Tracy was an author of some of the original Fight BAC!® experiments, activities, and assessments. She was also one of the two teacher authors to present the new Fight BAC!® program for the first time at the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) conference. Tracy still uses Fight BAC!® materials because she believes it to be important to teach children about healthy living, and, too often, food safety is overlooked. Tracy finds such great joy out of seeing her experiments, activities, and assessments still being used.