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Date:         Fri, 27 Apr 2001 20:48:37 EDT
Reply-To:     EdNet@FOODSAFETY.GOV
Sender:       National Food Safety Educator's Network <EDNET-L@FOODSAFETY.GOV>
From:         EDNET@FOODSAFETY.GOV
Organization: National Food Safety Educator's Network
Subject:      EdNet Update April 2001
 
   * * * *      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.
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IN THIS ISSUE
 
 
  FIGHT BAC!(tm)
  CONSUMER ADVISORY
  RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS
  NEWS FROM THE USDA/FDA FOODBORNE ILLNESS EDUCATION
INFORMATION CENTER
  MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES
  INDUSTRY INFO
  FEEDBACK
  SUBSCRIBE
 
 
 
FIGHT BAC!(tm)
 
The BAC! Store
 
Visit the BAC! Store, your on-line catalog of original Fight BAC!(tm)
materials.
New items: BAC Mousepads and BAC Pencils and Cups!  The Fight BAC!(tm)
brochure prices have been cut in half!  Now just $10/100!  The BAC Store
contains many other useful items including the Fight BAC! Presenter's
Guide, developed for teaching children in grades K-3 the importance of
safe food handling practices, Fight BAC!(tm) puppets ($15 each),
magnets, stickers, posters and much more!
http://www.fightbac.org
E-mail: fightbaced@mindspring.com
 
 
CONSUMER ADVISORY
 
FDA's Consumer Advisory on "How to Safely Handle Refrigerated
Ready-to-Eat Foods and Avoid Listeriosis"
 
Because L.monocytogenes can grow at refrigerator temperatures and is
found in ready-to-eat foods, FDA's Center for Food safety and Applied
Nutrition (CFSAN) issued an advisory to all consumers on how to reduce
the risk of Listeriosis.
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/adlister.html
 
 
RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS
 
New!  Video News Release (VNR) for Volunteer Food Handlers
 
Great cooks at home may not know how to safely prepare and store large
quantities of food for group functions.  The USDA's Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS) has some advice for a safe and successful
group event.  "Cooking for Groups" is a 12-minute VNR plus B-roll that
takes consumers through the steps necessary to prepare and serve food
for a safe and successful group event.  The VNR was produced as part of
the "Cooking for Groups"-A Volunteer's Guide to Food Safety" educational
package.  The educational package as well as the VNR can be viewed on
the FSIS Web site:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/pubs/cfg/cfg.htm
 
To receive the VNR (VHS or Beta), forward your requests with your name
and mailing address to:
E-mail:  fsis.outreach@usda.gov
 
 
Preliminary Foodnet Data on the Incidence of Foodborne Illnesses--
Selected Sites, United States, 2000
April 6, 2001, MMWR Weekly 50(13);241-6
 
Each year in the United States, an estimated 76 million persons contract
foodborne illnesses. CDC's Emerging Infections Program Foodborne
Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) collects data about nine
foodborne diseases in eight U.S. sites to quantify and monitor foodborne
illnesses. This report describes preliminary surveillance data for 2000
and compares them with 1996--1999 data. The data indicate the relative
frequency of diagnosed infections, demonstrate substantial regional
variation, and suggest trends in incidence. FoodNet provides data for
monitoring foodborne illnesses and interventions designed to reduce
them.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5013a1.htm
 
 
Economic Research Service (ERS) Briefing Rooms
 
Visit USDA's ERS' Briefing Room on Consumer Food Safety Behavior.  The
Consumer Food Safety Behavior Briefing Room is just one Briefing Room
that the ERS Web site offers on a large variety of topics.  Each
Briefing Room offers in-depth discussion synthesizing ERS research and
the economic issues that frame the analysis.  Also included are recent
ERS research development, readings and data, questions and answers, and
a collection of other ERS products and services addressing the issue.
http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/
 
 
New!  FSIS Backgrounder
 
"Protecting the Public From Foodborne Illness: The Food Safety and
Inspection Service" is a new backgrounder from USDA's Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS) that describes the mission of the FSIS.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/background/fsisgeneral.htm
 
 
Thermy(tm) Hits the Airways
 
Listen for Thermy(tm) message, "It's Safe to Bite When the Temperature
is Right!" on your favorite local radio station.  USDA/FSIS is
distributing a 30-second radio public service announcement (PSA) on its
campaign to increase use of food thermometers by consumers.  Help in
this promotion and request a CD of the radio PSA for use in your
educational events. Take a free CD to your local radio station along
with a Thermy(tm) kit and help promote food safety in your community.
For a free radio PSA:
E-mail: fsis.outreach@usda.gov
 
USDA/FSIS is also releasing the Thermy(tm) TV public service
announcement to Cable stations nationwide.  For a free 30-second PSA in
VHS or BETA SP (TV quality), request a copy with your intended use to:
E-mail: fsis.outreach@usda.gov
 
 
New!  FSIS Food Safety Fact Sheet
 
USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announces a new food
safety fact sheet:  "7 Food Safety Steps for Successful Community
Meals," April 2001.  Follow these simple steps and make an event such as
a family reunion or a community gathering safe and successful!
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/pubs/cfg/7steps_1.pdf
 
 
Graduate Fellowship Grants Program
FY2001/2002 Application Kits for New Grants
 
The FY2001 Request for Proposals contains two parts.  Part I is a
request for proposals for new grants in the Food and Agricultural
Sciences National Needs Graduate Fellowship Grants Program.  Part II
only applies to currently active grants.  The deadlines are: May 11,
2001 for the letter of intent and July 10, 2001 for the submission of a
proposal.
http://faeis.tamu.edu/hep/menus/msgn~~1.htm
 
 
USDA/APHIS Update: Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)
 
On March 30, USDA's Animal Plant Health Inspection Agency (APHIS)
announced tighter restrictions on used farm equipment entering the
United States.
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/press/2001/03/fmdfarm.txt
 
 
NEWS FROM THE USDA/FDA FOODBORNE ILLNESS EDUCATION INFORMATION CENTER
 
Food Safety Posters from the National Food Service Management Institute
(NFSMI)
 
The Food Safety Mini-Poster Kit from NFSMI contains fourteen 81/2" x 11
color posters and one 251/2" x 323/4" color poster. Topics include hand
washing, personal appearance and hygiene, food storage, temperatures,
and food preparation. All these can be yours for $3. Or, you can
download them through the NFSMI Web site at
http://www.nfsmi.org/Information/postindx.htm
To order posters call (662) 915-7658 or (800) 321-3054, or order via the
Web site at http://www.nfsmi.org/.  Use order # EX50-00.
 
Check out other food safety training materials at the Foodborne Illness
Educational Materials and HACCP Training and Resources databases at:
http://www.nal.usda.gov/foodborne/
 
 
MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES
 
 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Sponsors Public Health
Grand Rounds - Registration is Open!
 
In 1999, a new infectious disease agent appeared on the North American
continent, one that threatens human and animal life: West Nile virus.
This program will emphasize the importance of a strong public health
infrastructure and a greater understanding of vector-borne diseases.
Join us to discuss the efforts of local, regional and state health
agencies in Massachusetts as they prepare to respond to and minimize the
threat of West Nile virus.
 
"Preparing for West Nile Virus: Will Your Community Be Next?" is the
seventh program in a series of national broadcasts that focus on
contemporary public health challenges.  The program will be conducted on
May 23 at 2:00 - 3:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time.
 
Continuing education credit for various health professions will be
offered based on one hour of instruction. To be eligible, you must
complete an online registration and evaluation.
 
This broadcast may be viewed at a satellite downlink site near you or
via the Internet.  If you need assistance in finding a site close to
you, please contact us by:
E-mail: grand.rounds@sph.unc.edu
Telephone: 919.843.9261.
 
Or you may want to contact your local site facilitator to ask them to
register their site for the program. If you do not have Internet access,
please seek assistance from a public resource such as a library.  Target
Audience: public health leaders, managers, and professionals from local
and state health departments, federal agencies, hospitals, clinics,
academic institutions, managed care organizations, and others who seek
to increase awareness of the factors contributing to West Nile virus and
the public health response.
Sponsors:
School of Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
 
Registration and program information:
http://www.PublicHealthGrandRounds.unc.edu.
 
 
Second Joint Symposium on Food Safety and Nutrition: Current Issues in
Food Biotechnology
 
The Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN)
announces the Second Joint Symposium on Food Safety and Nutrition:
Current Issues in Food Biotechnology.  The symposium is sponsored by the
Central Science Laboratory (CSL), York, UK Ministry of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Food, and the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied
Nutrition (JIFSAN), U.S. Food and Drug Administration/University of
Maryland and will take place July 11-13 at the University of Maryland's
Inn and Conference Center in Adelphi, Maryland.
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/jiftech.html
 
 
Food Allergen Partnership
 
In October of 1998, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) formed a
partnership with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
(WDATCP). This Partnership was in response to an increase of
allergen-related recalls and concerns of controls of cross-contamination
of undeclared allergen residue.  The goals of the Partnership were to
eliminate duplicate inspection and sample collections, ensure uniform
enforcement, obtain current information on allergen awareness and
provide feedback on useful allergy control information and training to
the food industry.
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/alrgpart.html
 
 
INDUSTRY INFO
 
 
Food Safety Fellows Program--Positions Still Available
 
USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service is currently recruiting for 3
scientists who have valuable expertise and knowledge in "cutting-edge
scientific and technical" areas and can apply "state of the art"
methodologies to studies associated with food safety and public health.
For information:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OM/HRD/fellows/default.htm
 
 
"Bacteriological Analytical Manual" (BAM) available on-line:
 
The CFSAN (FDA) Staff College announced that the "Bacteriological
Analytical Manual" (BAM) is now available on the Web.  The BAM presents
the Agency's preferred laboratory procedures for microbiological
analyses of foods and cosmetics.
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~ebam/bam-toc.html
 
 
 
FEEDBACK
 
 If you have any comments or suggestions regarding this issue, please
 contact us via e-mail at:
 ednet@foodsafety.gov.
 
 
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- CDC/NCID:  http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/ncid.htm
 
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