=========================================================================
Date:         Thu, 26 Oct 2000 07:09:10 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 10/2000
 
   * * * *      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)
 RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS
 NEWS FROM THE USDA/FDA FOODBORNE ILLNESS EDUCATION INFORMATION CENTER
 PUBLICATIONS
 NEW OPPORTUNITIES
 INDUSTRY INFO
 FEEDBACK
 SUBSCRIBE
 
 
FIGHT BAC!(TM)
 
New Director for the Partnership for Food Safety Education
Melanie Miller has joined the Partnership as the first Executive
Director. She has worked with numerous government, consumer, and
industry organizations and has developed many professional contacts
that will benefit the Partnership. Melanie has a BS in Home
Economics and a MS in Ag Extension from the University of Wyoming.
She lives in the Washington, DC area.  Contact her at: 703-768-7980 or
E-mail: fightbaced@mindspring.com
 
Fall 2000 BAC TALK
Check out the latest BAC TALK Fall Newsletter, the Official Newsletter
of the Fight BAC!(TM) Campaign.  Read about a Memphis teacher who
earned National Honors for developing a science-based food safety
curriculum, Wal-mart Supercenters' agreement to Fight BAC!(TM), and
how you can order BAC-to-School items from the BAC store.
http://www.fightbac.org/media
 
 
Fight BAC!(TM) Travels 2000
BAC! Exhibit on the go!!
 
BAC! exhibit and materials were featured at the American Dietetic
Association in Denver, CO on October 16-19.
 
BAC! exhibit and materials will travel to the American Public
Health Association in Boston, MA on November 12-16.
 
 
Have You Ordered Your Partnership Workbook Yet?
A new grassroots workbook for local BAC campaigns developed by
the Partnership for Food Safety Education entitled "Using
Partnerships to Fight BAC!(TM): A Workbook for Local Food Safety
Educators" is a step-by-step instruction book for partnering in
your community.  This planning guide provides examples of community
programs and ideas that work for local organizers to develop
their own local BAC campaigns.  It was the feature of the
national satellite video teleconference hosted by USDA and FDA
on Tuesday, September 26, 2000.  Pass the word about this
new partnership tool!
Workbooks and videotapes of the 2-hour videoconference are
available free from USDA/FSIS.
E-mail: fsis.outreach@usda.gov
http://www.fightbac.org/educators
http://www.fightbac.org/new
 
RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS
 
National Food Safety Education Month (SM) Success Stories
Excellent feedback is arriving daily from educators around the country
with reports on how they used the National Food Safety Education Month
(SM) materials.  Some examples include:
 
* In Nebraska, local extension educators put together a terrific table
top exhibit with food safety sayings "Don't Get Sick, Cool It Quick,"
"Make It A Law-Use the Fridge to Thaw," "More Than Two is Bad For
You,"and "Watch That Plate, Don't Cross-Contaminate."
 
* Many states signed proclamations from their governors, put out
press releases, wrote special newspaper columns, and produced
television and radio spots.
 
* Missouri extension educators came up with a great idea to teach
kids about bacteria--they used jelly beans to show how bacteria
multiply!
 
* The President of Assistance Food, Buenos Aires, Argentina, reported
using the NFSEM program to focus on food safety education for persons
working in the food industries who export food to the U.S.
 
For more information, or to send your success stories,
E-mail: Gertie.Hurley@usda.gov
 
 
CDC Funds Four Awards for Coordinated School Food Safety Programs
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of
Adolescent and School Health recently awarded four competitive
agreements to one state and three national organizations to
develop and strengthen coordinated school food safety programs.
 
The recipient of the award "School Health Programs to Prevent
Serious Health Problems and Improve Educational Outcomes: Food
Safety Supplement" is the Rhode Island Department of Education.
National organizations that were recipients for "Cooperative
Agreements for National Programs to Build the Capacity of Schools
to Prevent Foodborne Illness Through Coordinated School
Food Safety Programs" are the National Environmental Health
Association, the National Association of County and City Health
Officials, and the American Nurse Foundation (School Nurses). Each
of the funded organizations will work together and with CDC to
strengthen partnerhships between education and health agencies,
agriculture/cooperative extension agencies, and others to improve
school food safety and foodborne illness prevention.
For more information, E-mail: dgd0@cdc.gov
 
 
Thermy(TM) Campaign
 
Walmart Supercenters Feature Thermy(TM)
Walmart's 800 supercenters are promoting food safety education in
October.  Look for Thermy(TM), USDA's new food safety messenger to
promote the use of food thermometers on the back of thermometer
packaging and floor displays from Chaney Instruments, makers of
Accurite digital and instant read thermometers.  Several supercenters
in Florida, Virginia, West Virginia, and Tennessee are teaming
with local cooperative extension agents to demonstrate the use of a
variety of food thermometers and to hand out Thermy(TM) brochures to
promote cooking to safe internal temperatures.
 
Thermy(TM) On the Go:
Thermy(TM), the costumed digital (thermometer) character was featured
at the annual meeting of the American Dietetics Association. Thermy(TM)
promoted the thermometer education campaign to registered dietitians
and nutritionists attending in Denver, CO.  The FSIS exhibit was a
resource of food safety education materials from FSIS, Thermy(TM) and
Fight BAC!(TM). The Thermy(TM) costume is available for large food
safety events. To reserve Thermy(TM), contact Holly McPeak at:
Telephone: 202-720-5836 or
E-mail: fsis.outreach@usda.gov
 
Thermy(TM) Video News Releases
Free: Copies are available for food safety educators, on a first
come, first served basis.  Great for training introductions on the
new Thermy(TM) campaign.  The video news release (VNR) of Thermy(TM)'s
campaign kick-off (2.55 minutes) featuring the Thermy(TM) public
service announcements (PSAs -- 40 seconds and 30 seconds)
provide a background of the importance of the thermometer
education campaign.
 
USDA/FSIS has just released a new VNR, entitled: "Use Thermy(TM)
for Safe Holiday Meals" (1.57 minutes).  Great for state and local TV
networks for the upcoming Thanksgiving and Holiday seasons.  Send in
your request for the above videos to:
E-mail: fsis.outreach@usda.gov
 
 
State Food Safety Symposium Broadcast
Participants of the multi-state research project "Enhancing
Food Safety Through Control of Food-borne Disease Agents" have
planned food safety symposium to be broadcast on November 16 from
10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. EST.  The focus of the symposium will be
updates on the latest issues concerning food safety in lightly
processed foods (produce), Listeria in ready-to-eat foods (such as
meats and poultry), and consumer attitudes toward food safety and
what consumers can do at home for protection.  The symposium will be
delivered by satellite to a national audience of extension educators,
health department professionals, food safety experts, and others
with an interest.
 
Experts in each of the program's topic areas have been invited to
provide the most important and up-to-date information.  Each of the
topics will have two speakers to bring different perspectives to the
issue and will be followed by a question and answer period.
Participants of the symposium will have the opportunity to ask or
respond to questions via phone or fax.
 
For more information, contact Beth Schroder, 540-231-3144 or
E-mail: eschrode@vt.edu
Register On line at:
http://www.conted.vt.edu/fss.htm
 
 
Keep in Touch...With Food Safety Education Information
Thanks to all of you who provided comments on the "Partnering
Made Easy" satellite videoconference.  Many of you requested a
list of all of the resources cited. Here they are:
 
The Food Safety Educator: Free quarterly newsletter for food safety
educators everywhere. Chocked full of articles and reviews of
education programs being conducted around the country.  The Educator
will keep you informed and up-to-date.
 
Information needed to subscribe: your full name, organization name
and mailing address.
* Write to: USDA/FSIS/Food Safety Education, Room 2944-South Building
            1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250
* Or fax your request to: (202) 720-9063
* Or E-mail your request to: fsis.outreach@usda.gov
* Available on the FSIS Web site: www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/consedu.htm
 
On the Web:
* USDA/Food Safety and Inspection Service   www.fsis.usda.gov
* New Thermy(TM) Web Page                   www.fsis.usda.gov/thermy
* Fight BAC!(TM)                            www.fightbac.org
  Order items from the Fight BAC!(TM) Store!
* Gateway to Government Food Safety         www.foodsafety.gov
* FDA/Center to Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
                                           www.cfsan.fda.gov
* USDA/FDA Foodborne Illness Education Information Center
                                           www.nal.usda.gov/foodborne
* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
                                           www.cdc.gov/foodsafety
 
EdNet -  a monthly electronic newsletter for food safety educators
To subscribe, send an e-mail message to: LISTSERV@FOODSAFETY.gov
Send the message: Subscribe EdNet-L firstname lastname
 
Foodsafe - an on-line electronic discussion group
To join, send an e-mail message to: majordomo@nal.usda.gov
Send the message: subscribe foodsafe your name <your e-mail address>
 
Toll-free:
USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline         1-800-535-4555
FDA's Outreach and Information Center   1-888-SAFEFOOD
Food Safety Hotline                     1-877-727-FOOD
   FDA and USDA have set up a joint Food Safety Recorded Message
   Hotline.  The purpose of the hotline is to provide supplemental
   information for short periods of time by an unstaffed recorded
   message under the following situations: (1) during a public
   health emergency (e.g., a specific recall); or when a new food
   safety message is issued (e.g., egg safety guidance); or during
   a special promotional period (e.g., National Food Safety
   Education Month).  The new hotline can handle between
   1,400 - 5,700 calls an hour depending on length of recorded
   message.
   For a copy of this "Keep in Touch" factsheet:
   E-mail: fsis.outreach@usda.gov
 
Top Ten Reasons to Partner!
In response to requests from those viewing the save recent satellite
conference, we are listing the Top Ten Reasons to Partner...
for those who want to use this introduction in your presentations!...
It's a great time for food safety education...
The TOP TEN Reasons to Partner!
10.  You really can't do it alone
 9. There is strength - and safety - in numbers
 8. Combined consensus = Clout
 7. Partnering creates a richer product
 6. Your message reaches a wider audience
 5. Combines people-power --  Synergy
 4. Provides more value to the dollar
 3. It promotes a uniform message to the public
 2. It's Effective -- Partnering Works
 1. It's FUN!
Adds up to Partnership Power!!
(The Sum truly is greater than the Parts!)
Source: E-mail: fsis.outreach@usda.gov
 
 
New Goverment-Wide Consumer Web Site Now Available
FirstGov.gov is a new government-wide consumer Web site that searches
the Web sites from all Federal agencies.  It provides extensive
information on each of the three branches of the U.S. Federal
Government and offers access to a wealth of State and local government
information.
http://www.firstgov.gov
 
 
NEWS FROM THE USDA/FDA FOODBORNE ILLNESS EDUCATION INFORMATION CENTER
 
Each issue of EdNet highlights interesting items from the USDA/FDA
Foodborne Illness Educational Materials Database.
 
Food Safety Materials for the Produce Industry
 
TITLE: Safer Processing of Sprouts by the California Dept. of Health
Available from: Circle Solutions, 2070 Chain Bridge Rd., Suite 450,
Vienna, VA.
Telephone:   703-902-1300.
Description: This curriculum covers agricultural and postharvest
water uses, manure and biosolids, worker health and hygiene, field
and facility sanitation, transportation, and traceback.  Information
is also applicable to all domestic and foreign growers, packers, and
shippers of unprocessed or minimally processed fresh fruit and
vegetables, not just for sprout growers.
***************
 
TITLE: Guidance for Industry: Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety
Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Available full-text online from the Food and Drug Administration Web
site at: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/prodguid.html
Description: This guidance document addresses microbial food safety
hazards and good agricultural and management practices common to the
growing, harvesting, washing, sorting, packing, and transporting of
most fruits and vegetables sold to consumers in an unprocessed or
minimally processed (raw) form.  Also available is Spanish, French,
and Portuguese.
***************
 
TITLE: Food Safety for Produce Distribution
Available from: Produce Marketing Association
1500 Casho Mill Road, P.O. Box 6036
Newark, DE 19714-6036
Telephone:   302-738-7100  Fax: 302-731-2409
Web site:    http://www.pma.com
Description: The guide covers such key topics as management knowledge
and responsibility; supplier relationships; transportation;
employee health, hygiene and food safety awareness; equipment and
facility sanitation; and safety program evaluation.
****************
 
TITLE: Produce Safety and Sanitation
Available from: National Grocers Association
1825 Samuel Morse Drive
Reston, VA 22090-5317
Telephone:   703-437-5300  Fax: 703-437-7768
Web site:    http://www.nationalgrocers.org
Description: Targeted toward new employees, this videotape reviews
the basic safety and sanitation procedures for maintaining a safe,
clean produce department.
**************
 
TITLE: Cleaning and Sanitizing in Vegetable Processing Plants
Available from: University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension
630 W. Mufflin St., Room 170
Madison, WI 53703
Telephone:   608-262-3346
Web site:    http://www.uwex.edu/ces/pubs/
Description: This video pays particular attention to safe handling
of cleaning chemicals and how to use them under varying conditions.
Also available in Spanish.
***************
 
TITLE: Produce Handling for Direct Marketing
Available from: Cornell University Resource Center,
7 Business & Technology Park, Ithaca, NY
Description: Describes post harvest physiology, food safety, handling
of produce from harvest to storage, refrigerated storage, produce
displays,and specific handling and display recommendations for more
than 40 fruits and vegetables.
 
To learn more about other food safety training materials, visit the
Center's Web site at:
http://www.nal.usda.gov/foodborne
 
 
PUBLICATIONS
 
CDC and FDA Statement on Vibrio Parahaemolyticus
The September 2000 issue of the Journal of the American Medical
Association included an article entitled, "Emergence of a New
Vibrio parahaemolyticus Serotype in Raw Oysters: A Prevention
Quantary." This article reported on a 1998 outbreak of acute
gastroenteritis in the United States caused by oysters that
contained the bacteria V. parahaemolyticus.
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/fpvibrio.html
 
Updated USDA/FSIS "FOCUS ON: Chicken" Publication Now Available
What's for dinner tonight?  There's a good chance it's chicken --
now the number one meat or poultry item consumed by Americans.
Interest in the safe handling and cooking of chicken is reflected
in thousands of calls to the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline, second
only to turkey in number of specific inquiries.  The following
information answers many of the questions these callers have asked
about chicken.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/pubs/chicken.htm
 
CDC Reports on Human Ingestion of Anthrax-Contaminated Meat
 
CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report issues report
summarizing an investigation of farm family consuming meat
from a steer that had been infected with Bacillus anthracis,
the bacteria that causes anthrax. The animal was slaughtered
on the farm and did not enter the public meat supply.  Public
health authorities have recommended that the exposed family members
take preventative antibiotics and begin anthrax vaccination.
http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/mmwrnews/n2k0915.htm#mmwr1
 
 
CDC Reports Foodborne Botulism from Eating Home-Pickled Eggs
A Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report illustrated a case of botulism
caused by home-pickled eggs.  Consumers should be aware of the risk
of botulism when preserving food by any method and follow published
instructions from tested recipes.
http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/mmwrnews/n2k0901.htm#mmwr2
 
 
NEW OPPORTUNITIES
 
Food and Nutrition Information Center Coordinator's Position
The USDA's Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC) located
at the National Agricultural Library in Beltsville, MD has a
federal job opening for Coordinator at a GS-13 level.  The position is
for a Technical Information Specialist or Librarian with a nutrition
background.  The incumbent serves as coordinator of the FNIC and
Food Mission area team; responsible for policy making, planning,
managing, organizing, directing and evaluating the activities and
functions of FNIC. This announcement closes on October 30, 2000.
http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/wfjic/jobs/BT5846.HTM
 
 
INDUSTRY INFO
 
FDA Database of Foodborne Illness Risk Factors Released
The FDA announced the release of the Report of the FDA Retail Food
Program Database of Foodborne Illness Risk Factors.  This report
establishes a baseline to measure how effective industry and
and regulatory efforts are in changing behaviors and practices that
directly relate to food-borne illness in the retail food industry.
FDA is responsible for setting standards for the safe production of
food and advising state and local governments on food safety standards
for institutional food service establishments, restaurants, retail
foodstores, and other retail food establishments.
 
A satellite broadcast: Report of the FDA Retail Food Program Database
of Foodborne Illness Risk Factors will take place on October 27, 2000,
from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. EST.  As announced in the September 6
Federal Register, the purpose of the public meeting is to present the
methodology used for developing a baseline on the occurrence of CDC-
identified foodborne illness risk factors and data from the baseline
inspections conducted (1998-1999) by FDA Regional Food Specialists.
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/tpretrsk.html
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/retrsk.html
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/retrskfl.html
 
 
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