Partnership for Food Safety Education

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Lisa’s Table Is All About Safe Dinners

April 3, 2020

Meet Lisa

Lisa Treiber is a dedicated BAC Fighter who is passionate about keeping her community safe. She is an Extension Agent at Michigan State University, and she regularly uses Fight BAC! resources in her curriculum.

Lisa values raising awareness around safe food handling practices. Throughout the semester she teaches courses that remind students how to stay healthy. She also shares The Story of Your Dinner resources — particularly around the holiday season. She has done this for many years and has noticed that her community responds positively to it.

Lisa’s Table Spreads Awareness for the Holidays

This past holiday season, Lisa dedicated a table to food safety in the atrium of the Midland County Building Department. She enlarged food safety tips from The Story of Your Dinner and made them into laminated tiles. The tiles were arranged to be easily read by anyone who passes through the building. Lisa is thankful for the clear messages on each tile like “Suds up for 20 seconds” and “Keep your refrigerator at 40 °F or below.”

Lisa went a step further and printed off recipes with food safety steps and left them on the table. She worked hard to emphasize the importance of food safety during the holiday season, and it was well received by her peers and community. She was pleasantly surprised to see over 50 recipes had been taken from the table by the diverse population that walks through the building.

Years of Community Engagement at the Table

This isn’t the first year Lisa has created a table display. A couple years ago, she increased community engagement by holding a drawing for those who stopped at the table. Over 75 people entered, and the winner received a fridge thermometer to ensure their fridge was at a food-safe temperature. The county health department sanitarian workers who approved the display said that it was “wonderful.”

Lisa feels that with the number of those who have responded each year, she is getting her message across and doing her part in spreading awareness to her community. She appreciates that the resources from the Partnership for Food Safety Education are diverse and can be easily tweaked to be used throughout the entire year.

Lisa Treiber is an Extension Agent at Michigan State University. She can be reached at treiber@msu.edu.

You can make sure families have the safe food handling information that they need to reduce their risk of food poisoning with a personal contribution today. Click here to make a gift.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: BAC Fighter, Fight BAC, Food handling, food poisoning, food safety, Food safety resources, Food safety teacher, foodborne illness, prevent foodborne illness, recipes

Cut Food Waste and Maintain Food Safety at Home

January 17, 2018

(This blog post was developed from a Knowledge Exchange event sponsored by the non-profit Partnership for Food Safety Education on Jan. 16, 2018. Access a recording of the 30-minute event.)

Howard Seltzer, FDA National Food Safety Education Advisor

Reducing the risk of foodborne illness for consumers is the primary focus of the Partnership for Food Safety Education. One in six Americans get a foodborne illness each year. In our work as food safety educators we can support consumers with actions they can take to reduce cross-contamination and to handle food in a way that helps them manage risk of germs like salmonella, campylobacter, E-coli and listeria monocytogenes.

Food waste is food that is discarded or lost uneaten. Sometimes in food safety education we encourage food to be tossed uneaten if it can pose a health risk to a consumer. Food waste is a huge challenge to our natural resources, our environment, and our pocketbooks.

Howard Seltzer, a National Food Safety Education Advisor at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has been a terrific supporter of the Partnership and a true colleague in food safety education. Howard recently shared information with the BAC Fighter community on food waste and food safety.

Q: What is the connection between food waste and food safety?

Seltzer:
Food waste by consumers can result from fears about food safety. Some of these fears relate to misunderstandings about what food product dating actually means. Also, consumers can be uncertain about how to store perishable foods.

Q: What are the basics of understanding food product dating?

Seltzer:
Except for infant formula, dates on food products are not required by any Federal law or regulation, although some states do have requirements for them. Most of the food dates consumers see are on perishable foods. These are foods likely to quickly spoil, decay or become unsafe to eat if not kept refrigerated at 40° F or below or frozen at 0° F or below. Perishables include meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, eggs, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Producers of perishable food use dates to help ensure that consumers buy or use them while the products are at what the producers consider their best quality.

  • Sell by date indicates that a product should not be sold after that date if the buyer is to have it at its best quality.
  • Use by date or Best by date is the maker’s estimate of how long a product will keep at its best quality.

These are quality dates only, not safety dates. If stored properly, a food product should be safe, wholesome and of good quality after its Use by or Best by date.

Q: What are tools that BAC Fighters can use in educating consumers about storing and handing perishable foods?

Seltzer:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cornell University and the Food Marketing Institute cooperatively developed an app called “The FoodKeeper”. This app tells you how best to store perishables and how long they will keep safely. “The FoodKeeper” app is a complete guide to how long virtually every food available in the United States will keep its quality and flavor in the pantry, in the refrigerator, and in the freezer. You can download the FoodKeeper as a mobile app on your Android or Apple devices. You also can access it at FoodSafety.gov.

Q: What are some practical grocery shopping and eating tips that can help consumers manage their food at home?

Seltzer: First of all, don’t buy more perishable food than you can reasonably consume before it reaches its maximum storage time. For example, prepackaged luncheon meats will keep two weeks when stored in the refrigerator or three to five days if refrigerated after opening. Plan your meals and use shopping lists. Think about what you are buying and when it will be eaten or used. Before you shop, check your fridge and pantry to avoid buying an item that you already have.

Also, avoid impulse and bulk purchases, especially fresh produce and dairy that have limited shelf life. Promotions encouraging purchase of unusual or bulk products often result in consumers buying foods outside their typical needs or family preferences. These foods may end up in the trash.
Lastly, when eating out, become a more mindful eater. If you’re not terribly hungry, request smaller portions. Bring your leftovers home and refrigerate or freeze them within two hours.

Q: Potential for waste of these foods is high for perishable foods. What are the most important tips around storing perishables?

Seltzer: Here are a few important tips on storing of perishable foods so that you can avoid food waste. Make sure the temperature of your refrigerator is at or below 40° F. This will ensure perishables are stored safely. Next, avoid “over packing” your fridge. Cold air must circulate around refrigerated foods to keep them properly chilled. Wipe up spills in your refrigerator immediately. This action will reduce the risk of cross contamination where bacteria from one food get spread to other foods in your refrigerator. Finally, check your fridge often to keep track of what you have and what needs to be reheated and eaten or put in the freezer for later use. Leftovers should be used within 3-4 days. You can avoid wasting food by planning to eat these leftovers within the 3-4 days.

Q: What’s the difference between spoilage bacteria and the bacteria that can cause a foodborne illness?

Seltzer: Most people would not choose to eat spoiled food. However, if they did, they probably would not get sick. Spoilage bacteria can cause fruits and vegetables to get mushy or slimy, or meat to develop a bad odor, but they do not generally make you sick. Pathogenic bacteria cause illness. They grow rapidly in the Danger Zone-the temperatures between 40 °F (4.4 °C) and 140 °F (60 °C) and do not generally affect the taste, smell, or appearance of food. Food that is left too long at unsafe temperatures could be dangerous to eat, but smell and look just fine.

Check out these quality resources on reducing food waste while maintaining food safety at home:

Knowledge Exchange recording

FoodSafety.gov

FDA Article on Food Waste and Food Safety

Refrigerator & Freezer Storage Chart (PDF)

FDA Food Waste Fact Sheet (PDF)

“Home Canning and Botulism” Article

FoodKeeper app: Android Devices | Apple Devices

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: BAC Fighter, Fight BAC, Food handling, food safety, Food safety education, Food safety resources, food waste, foodborne illness, Home food safety

Fighting BAC! in the Philippines

May 1, 2017

In the spring of 2016, BAC! Fighter Marie Josephine Paredes-Umali of Valencia, California presented Fight BAC! food safety lectures in the Philippines.  She found an audience thirsty for this information and learned that there were few readily available food safety training resources.

Paredes speaking about parasites

Invitation to become a BAC Fighter!

Mayors, government coordinators, market vendors and vendors selling RTE foods made up her large audiences. For many, this was the first time they had been exposed to any food safety training. Participants received a Fight BAC! Core Four Practices poster, with extra copies to post in schools, public health centers, markets, and homes. Marie Josephine invited each of the participants to become BAC Fighters.

Paredes students in Philipines

Food Market Audits

In Makati City, the government unit official requested a food safety audit of the Sunday Market. Marie Josephine noticed many unsafe food handling practices and commented on these during her next lecture. A few days later, she repeated the audit and noticed many positive changes. Armed with food safety information, the food vendors were ready and willing to improve their practices. The Red Cross local chapter will continue to audit the market vendors’ food handling practices.

Semi-Retired?

Though she is “semi-retired”, Marie Josephine opened an office in Manila– MJPU Foodsafety Consultancy—which will will focus on food safety education and helping the Philippines with implementation of FSMA.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: BAC Fighter, California, Core Four Practices, Fight BAC, Food handling, Food safety education, Food safety resources, Food safety training, Philippines

BAC Fighters “Wowed” by Consumer Food Safety Conference

February 15, 2017

Whether you attended in person, watched the live broadcast, or kept tabs on Twitter from work, BAC Fighters are reporting that CFSEC2107 is having a big effect on their work.

sectors attending CFSEC2017

There was an excellent variety of sectors represented; BAC Fighters from academia, the corporate world, and government made up over 60% of attendees, with co-op extension, public health, and nonprofits making up nearly all of the rest. We would love to spread the word to more school teachers for the next conference!

 

 

 

 

Frank Yiannas Led the Top Five Keynote and Plenary Sessions                     

CFSEC2017Photo F Yiannas_podium MG_1622

  1.   Food Safety = Behavior 2.0/Frank Yiannas
  2.   What are key elements of effective behavioral change strategies?/BenjaminChapman &  Michael Roberson
  3.  What Affects Risk Perception & Motivation? /Monique Turner, Rylee Gustafson and  Christine Prue
  4.  The Behavior Change Wheel/Lou Atkins
  5.  The Power of Habit/Charles Duhigg

 

But What Do You Really Think?

CFSEC2017Photo_MG_1602

  • 98% of attendees learned strategies for increasing adherence to safe food handling behaviors among consumers.
  • 100% said you will make changes in your practice as a result of information presented at this conference.
  • 98% learned strategies for increasing adherence to safe food handling behaviors among consumers.
  • 100% of you told us that the conference provided you with opportunities to develop your network of professional contacts.
  • 100% of conference-goers reported that they will disseminate this information to create positive behavior changes in consumer food handling practices.

Your Food Safety Outreach is Both Deep and Broad!CFSEC2017Photo_MG_1071

You reported that your potential audience includes:

  • +1000 patients and community members, family members as well.
  • ~300, caregivers, healthcare staff, community members
  • At least 30 other regulators.
  • All residents in the city and county of Denver and restaurant owners and employees.
  • The state of Arizona – all counties and regulatories with in them.
  • Retailer: ~2500 stores and guests
  • High school students
  • Patients at a doctor’s office about 20 patients a week.
  • 250 – teachers in WA State
  • 300+ I teach food safety training to our partner agencies at a foodbank.
  • Direct: 3000/yea Indirect:10,000 year Social media:20,000/year
  • Over 240 peers and professionals
  • I am an extension agent and serve 7 countries, do television and therefore the potential audience is in the thousands.
  • 1000 Servsafe/volunteer training
  • Potential Audience – city of Las Vegas Industry food handlers

Top 5 Ways You Prefer to Receive Partnership for Food Safety messages:

fightbac website

  1. Ecards
  2. Facebook/Twitter (tie)
  3. Website
  4. LinkedIn
  5. Professional Webinars

 

 

 

 

Was Your Main Purpose in Attending this Conference Achieved?

The answers were overwhelmingly: YES!        CFSEC2017Photo_MG_0944

  • Learning more about current research in food safety behavior and intervention strategies. The purpose was highly achieved.
  • To better communicate with those we inspect to instill lasting change. Yes, I was able to see why what lab can be done better.
  • To have scientific fundamental about food handling. Yes, this was a very powerful conference.
  • To learn new strategies and techniques for teaching food safety. Yes.
  • Understanding what others are doing and exchange resources and network – yes
  • To better understand the concept of behavior change and how it can be applied to food safety. Yes!
  • To find out more information on how to have a better social media presence on food safety. Yes, I learned a lot. The breakout sessions on behavior change in the digital age was great.
  • To learn and meet industry academia and government personnel, yes.
  • Learned more about teaching food safety using different techniques. Yes, felt a lot like the conference focused on this.
  • Enhance my professional development. Yes – very relevant and impactful.
  • Became familiar with food safety and learn some messages to improve the food safety culture at my office/lab. It was met and I have several tools to take home.
  • Having some ideas for my PhD dissertation. Yes, I got a lot of new great ideas.

Last but not Least 

99% said you would attend this conference again!

See you in Orlando in 2019!

SaveTheDate_QuarterPage_AD FINAL_as (1)Conference Links You’ll Want to Check out!

https://www.fightbac.org/events/conference-2017-presentations/

To access/view video of conference plenary and keynote sessions:

https://www.fightbac.org/events/conference-2017-videos/

Conference photo page:

https://www.fightbac.org/conference-2017-photos/

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: BAC Fighter, CFSEC, CFSEC2017, Consumer Food Safety Education Conference, Food handling, food safety, Food safety education, Food safety resources

These BAC Fighters Don’t Reinvent the Wheel!

February 7, 2017

Elisa Shackelton, Extension Specialist, Colorado State University and Carla Opp, Workforce Development and Quality Improvement Coordinator- Jefferson Public Health use the resources on Fightbac.org to spread the word about food safety to their communities in different ways.

Elisa finds that researched-based Fightbac.org resources are useful for communicating via social media. Carla finds that the kid-friendly materials are effective to captivate this hard-to-reach group.

Learn more about how they do it:

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: BAC Fighter, Colorado, Fight BAC, food safety, Food safety education, Food safety resources, Public health educator

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