========================================================================= Date: Mon, 20 Sep 1999 08:35:16 EDT Reply-To: EdNet@FOODSAFETY.GOV Sender: National Food Safety Educator's Network From: EDNET@FOODSAFETY.GOV Organization: National Food Safety Educator's Network Subject: EdNet Update 09/99 * * * * National Food Safety Educator's Network * * * * * * * * EdNet-L@foodsafety.gov * * * * EdNet is an electronic newsletter from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), providing updates on food safety activities to educators and others concerned about food safety. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ IN THIS ISSUE SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL FOOD SAFETY EDUCATION MONTH(SM) FIGHT BAC!(TM) RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS NEWS FROM THE USDA/FDA FOODBORNE ILLNESS EDUCATION INFORMATION CENTER PUBLICATIONS MEETINGS/CONFERENCES INDUSTRY INFO FEEDBACK SUBSCRIBE SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL FOOD SAFETY EDUCATION MONTH(SM) "Cook it Safely" is the theme for the National Food Safety Education Month(SM). September is the time to begin the year of celebrating food safety and educating consumers about the importance of safe food cooking. The Consumer Education Planning Guide 1999, jointly developed by USDA and FDA, was sent to school district food service directors, State and local public health offices, child nutrition staff, cooperative extension, school nurses, chef and child coordinators, and others. The Planning Guide is designed to provide the tools - handouts, puzzles, games, fact sheets, etc., you need to plan food safety activities such as, educational fairs, contests, exhibits, workshops, supermarket tours, etc. Let the community know what is important about safe food cooking. Educators may contact the USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline (1-800-535-4555) for a single copy. School food service managers can contact the National Food Service Management Instite (1-800-943-5463). Copies are also available on the Web. http://www.foodsafety.gov/~fsg/fs-mon99.html FIGHT BAC!(TM) BAC!(TM) to School: Quick Tips to Packing a Safe Lunch It's back-to-school time again, and Fight BAC!(TM) wants to remind parents and families across the country that the important lesson of the school year is packing a safe lunch. All it takes is a quick refresher course: PACK A SAFE LUNCH 101 -- "Quick Tips to Packing a Safe School Lunch." http://www.fightbac.org/new/index.html Fight BAC!(TM) 2000 Calendar Soon Available Great news to chill your Y2K blues! The Partnership for Food Safety Education is creating a Year 2000 Food Safety Calendar! The calendar will be one you'll want to buy yourself and for all of your holiday gift-giving occasions! Both beautiful and informative, it will feature original art and the Fight BAC!(TM) messages tied to monthly food safety themes. Look for a sample of the art, price and pre-sale ordering information on the Web site about October 1, 1999. The calendar will be shipped on or about November 30. http://www.fightbac.org New School Food Safety Kit for 4-6 Grade To help educate children and their families about the importance of food safety, Fight BAC!(TM) announces the release of "Your Game Plan for Food Safety," a brand new, school-based program for 4-6 grade teachers. This kit was developed by the Partnership for Food Safety Education. "Your Game Plan for Food Safety" inspires children to discover the science behind food safety and encourages them to learn through experimenting, investigating and exploring. The contents of the classroom kit feature an engaging video, colorful classroom components, fun family take-home exercises and lots of inquiry-based activities and experiments. The program kit is free while supplies last, to teachers, extension agents and other educators who teach 4-6 grade students. To obtain a free copy, visit the Fight BAC!(TM) Web site and complete the online order form. http://www.fightbac.org/new/index.html Any Success With the Virtual Toolbox? Please let us know if you used the Virtual Toolbox during this past summer to promote summer food safety -- by responding through the Fight BAC!(TM) FeedBAC! section on the Web. We want to know what was useful to you and if we should continue to provide these types of materials. Look for new materials for the holiday months in the Toolbox starting October 1. http://www.fightbac.org/feedbac/index.html Fight BAC!(TM) Store: New Pricing Structure New pricing structure for items in the Fight BAC!(TM) Store to give quantity discounts...check the store on the Web for details. http://www.fightbac.org/bacstore/index.html RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS Secretary Shalala Announces New Food Safety Information Service Speaking before the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Donna E. Shalala announced the opening of the FDA's new Outreach and Information Center (O&IC), operated by FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN). The O&IC was created in part to enhance FDA's ability to provide accurate and meaningful information to the public about food safety. It is funded as one of the targeted projects for development under the National Food Safety Initiative. In addition to providing food safety information, the O&IC will provide assistance with other CFSAN issues including cosmetics, food additives and dietary supplements. The O&IC will operate CFSAN's new expanded toll-free public information line 1-888-SAFEFOOD. http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/1999pres/990909.html Food Safety Videos Now Available on FoodSafety.gov Several videos including the Fight BAC!(TM) public service ad in both English and Spanish and the produce safety video can now be accessed from the FoodSafety.gov Web site. http://www.foodsafety.gov/~fsg/vlibrary.html USDA's Healthy School Meals Web Site Links to Food Safety The "school meals Web site" offers child nutrition professionals food safety information. Two new food safety items include: "Food Safety It's in Your Hands" The National Food Service Management Institute's (NFSMI) live satellite teleconference was held August 25, 1999, at the University of Mississippi. Featured was an introduction on the National Food Safety Initiative by USDA's Under Secretary Catherine Woteki, Ph.D., and a presentation by FSIS's Sandy Facinoli, Deputy Director, Food Safety Education Staff, on consumer education and the Fight BAC!(TM) campaign. Panel discussions presented ways to promote food safety in school cafeterias and in the classroom. Actual video and audio from the teleconference can be accessed from the following Web site: http://schoolmeals.nal.usda.gov:8001/Safety/fnssafety.html#hands To access the video of the live teleconference from the Web site, free video player software, "RealPlayer G2" must be downloaded. For additional information, go to: http://www.foodsafety.gov/~fsg/vlrealg2.html "Keeping Kids Safe - A Guide for Safe Food Handling and Sanitation For Child Care Providers." The USDA's Food and Nutrition Service recently updated the 1996 FSIS publication to focus on participants in the Child and Adult Care Food Program. The publication is in PDF format which requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to open this file. http://schoolmeals.nal.usda.gov:8001/Safety/KidsSafedit.pdf CDC Funds Available for Public Health Conference Support The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) announce the availability of fiscal year (FY) 2000 funds for a grant program for Public Health Conference Support. The purpose of conference support funding is to provide PARTIAL support for specific non-federal conferences in the areas of health promotion and disease prevention information and education programs, and applied research. Because conference support by CDC/ATSDR creates appearance of CDC/ATSDR co-sponsorship, there will be active participation by CDC/ATSDR in the development and approval of the conference agenda. CDC/ATSDR funds will be expended only for approved portions of the conference. Applications for CDC support may be submitted by public and private non-profit organizations. ONLY conferences planned for May 30, 2000 through April 30, 2001 are eligible to apply under this announcement. To receive additional written information, call 1-888-GRANTS4. You will be asked to leave your name and address and the announcement number, which is 00017. If you have questions after reviewing the contents of all the documents, business management technical assistance may be obtained from: Julia Valentine at 770-488-2732, E-mail jxv1@cdc.gov. Program technical assistance may be obtained from: Criss Crissman at 770-488-2513, E-mail cec1@cdc.gov http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/00017.htm NEWS FROM THE USDA/FDA FOODBORNE ILLNESS EDUCATION INFORMATION CENTER Each issue of EdNet highlights an interesting item from the USDA/FDA Foodborne Illness Education Materials Database. To learn about other food safety training materials visit the Center's Web site at: http://www.nal.usda.gov/foodborne/ Operation Food Safety: Prekindergarten - Grade 4 This is the first food safety curriculum to come out of Arkansas since they passed legislation to include food safety education in public schools. The other curricula cover grades 5-8 and grades 9-12. Operation Food Safety concentrates on three major concepts-handwashing, keeping things clean, and keeping food hot and cold. Each unit contains the lesson goal, objectives, materials needed, procedures, background information for teachers, plenty of activities for students, and a letter to parents explaining food safety basics learned in class so they can be reinforced at home. For specific questions on Operation Food Safety or for copies of the curriculum contact: Dr. Amy Waldroup Department of Poultry Science University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR 72701 Phone: 501-575-4409 Fax: 501-575-8775 E-mail: awaldro@comp.uark.edu PUBLICATIONS CDC Data Provides Estimate on Foodborne Disease in the U.S. The CDC released the most complete estimate to date on the incidence of foodborne disease in the United States. According to data published in the current issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases, CDC's peer-reviewed journal that tracks new and reemerging infectious diseases worldwide, diseases caused by food may cause an estimated 325,000 serious illnesses resulting in hospitalizations, 76 million cases of gastrointestinal illnesses, and 5,000 deaths each year. "While the U.S. food supply remains on of the safest in the world, these new findings further support what we have said all along: the public health burden of foodborne disease is substantial," said HHS Secretary Donna Shalala. Overall, foodborne disease appears to cause more illnesses but fewer deaths than previously estimated. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol5no5/mead.htm The September/October issue of the "FDA Consumer" magazine, features two articles about food safety in recognition of National Food Safety Education Month (SM). "Campylobacter: Low-Profile Bug is Food Poisoning Leader" When it comes to food poisoning, big outbreaks make headlines. E. coli in apple juice and alfalfa sprouts. Listeria in cheese and hot dogs. Salmonella in eggs and on poultry. But the most frequently diagnosed foodborne bacterium rarely makes the news. The name of the unsung bug? Campylobacter. Though not exactly a household word, Campylobacter causes millions of cases of foodborne illness every year. http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fdcampy.html "Keeping Food Safety Survey Honest" Telephone surveys can give researchers valuable insights into consumer bad habits. But how reliable are these data? FDA is putting the consumer in front of the camera to find out. With their kitchens as backdrops, cooking utensils as props, and a supporting cast of family members, up to 150 folks in Logan, Utah, are going before a camera to let food safety experts see just how well they practice food safety in their homes. The home-based videotapings are part of a pilot study funded by the FDA to learn whether consumers actually do in the kitchen what they say they do in telephone surveys. The cameras will film people as they prepare a recipe provided by the research team. The footage will then be evaluated to identify specific food-handling steps. http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fdsurvey.html CDC Reports on Infections Associated with Eating Seed Sprouts Recent outbreaks of Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections associated with raw seed sprouts have occurred in several countries. Subjective evaluations indicate that pathogens can exceed 107 per gram of sprouts produced from inoculated seeds during sprout production without adversely affecting appearance. Treating seeds and sprouts with chlorinated water or other disinfectants fails to eliminate the pathogens. A comprehensive approach based on good manufacturing practices and principles of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) can reduce the risk of sprout-associated disease. Until effective measures to prevent sprout-associated illness were identified, persons who wish to reduce their risk of foodborne illness from raw sprouts are advised not to eat them; in particular, persons at high risk for severe complications of infections with Salmonella or E. coli O157:H7, such as the elderly, children, and those with compromised immune systems, should not eat them. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol5no5/taormina.htm New FSIS Fact Sheet All About Shell Eggs Now Available Eggs are among the most nutritious foods on earth and can be part of a healthy diet. However, they are persishable just like raw meat, poultry, and fish. Today some unbroken, clean, fresh shell eggs may contain Salmonella Enteritidis bacteria that can cause foodborne illness. While the number of eggs affected is quite small, there have been cases of foodborne illness in the last few years. To be safe, eggs must be properly handled, refrigerated, and cooked. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/pubs/shelleggs.htm MEETINGS/CONFERENCES Microbiological Safety of Drug Residues in Food Workshop The Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will sponsor a workshop entitled "Microbiological Safety of Drug Residues in Food" to be held on September 20-21, 1999. The workshop will be held at the Doubletree Hotel, 1750 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Monday, September 20, and from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 21. The workshop will discuss the use of model systems to establish Acceptable Daily Intakes (ADIs) for antimicrobial drug residues in food. The workshop will also address human consumption of new animal drug residues in food and their direct effects on human intestinal microflora. For more information, contact Lynda W. Cowatch, CVM, at 301-468-1100. http://www.fda.gov/cvm/fda/mappgs/workshop.html Fourth AFDO/FSIS Teleconference on Retail Meat and Poultry Processing The Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) and USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), along with FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, are pleased to present the fourth in their series of educational broadcasts on meat and poultry inspection at retail food establishments. The purpose of these broadcasts is to provide training to state, local, and tribal sanitarians on process and procedures that are being utilized by retail stores and restaurants, especially those that were usually seen in USDA-inspected facilities. The teleconference, on sausage production, will take place November 4, 1999, and will last for three hours, starting at 12:00 Noon Eastern, 11:00 AM Central, 10:00 AM Mountain, and 9:00 AM Pacific time. For additional information, contact Paulette Platko, USDA, FSIS, HRDS, Crystal Park Plaza, Suite 3000, 2700 East Bypass, College Station, TX 77845-5009 Phone: 409-260-9562 FAX: 409-260-9580 E-mail: paulette.platko@usda.gov Information about this program can be found by following the links from "State and Local," to "Retail Meat and Poultry Processing." The handout and satellite coordinates for the program will be available to download about one month prior to broadcast. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OFO/HRDS/FSVU.html INDUSTRY INFO FDA Reveals Progress Report on Seafood HACCP CFSAN is sending the seafood industry a progress report on its efforts to comply with FDA's Seafood Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) regulation. The report is based on the first round of inspections of approximately 4,100 domestic seafood processors, from which, about 1200 achieved full compliance with the regulation. Also, included are FDA's strategy, including its regulatory options, for continuing implementation, and information about potential processing problems resulting from malfunctioning computer systems during the transition to year 2000 (y2k). http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/sea-y2k.html FEEDBACK We want to hear from you. What topics of interest would you like us to include in future issues? If you have any comments or suggestions regarding this issue, please contact us via e-mail at: ednet@foodsafety.gov. SUBSCRIBE Thank you for forwarding past issues to colleagues and friends and telling them how to subscribe. The number of Ednet subscribers continues to increase. Please continue to spread the word. 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