=========================================================================
Date:         Thu, 28 Jun 2001 19:34:17 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 June 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.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 
 
FIGHT BAC!(TM)
RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS
NEWS FROM THE USDA/FDA FOODBORNE ILLNESS EDUCATION
  INFORMATION CENTER
SYMPOSIUM
PEOPLE IN THE NEWS
FEEDBACK
SUBSCRIBE
 
 
FIGHT BAC!(TM)
 
Partnership for Food Safety Education Update
 
2001 USDA Honor Awards
 
The Partnership for Food Safety Education received a USDA Group Honor
Award presented by Secretary Ann Veneman "for significant
accomplishments in creating and developing a unique public/private
partnership that represents an unprecedented effort to teach consumers
about food safety."
http://www.fightbac.org/press/index.cfm
 
Fightbac.org Gets a New Look!
 
The Partnership for Food Safety Education launched their new Web site in
May!  Take a look and find a crisp, clean, new homepage that's easier to
navigate and boasts several new areas to explore.  For example, the
"Educator" section will feature direct links to the Fight BAC!(TM)
curriculum as well as other organizations that have similar goals, fun
pages for kids and more.
 
Searchable Food Safety Education Activities Database-You're invited!
 
The "It's Working" section will feature a Searchable Food Safety
Education Activities Database that the USDA/FDA Foodborne Illness
Education Information Center and the Partnership for Food Safety
Education are building.  The database will contain contact information,
target audience, number of people reached, cost, materials used, story,
results, etc. about various food safety education projects or activities
educators have conducted.  This will be a perfect opportunity to
showcase any food safety projects or activities implemented at local and
national levels.
 
AN INVITATION TO BUILD!
 
                             You are invited to help build the database!
The database data entry feature will be "open for business" on July 9th.
Here's your opportunity to report on all food safety education
projects-Fight BAC!(TM), Thermy!(TM), National Food Safety Education
Month (SM), and others!  The Partnership, USDA and FDA are asking all
educators to provide data to build the searchable feature.  We hope to
have enough data to announce the searchable feature on October 15th.
You can access the contributor's data entry form either through the
Fight BAC!(TM) Web site or through the Foodborne Illness Education
Information Center's Web site:
http://www.fightbac.org
http://www.nal.usda.gov/foodborne
 
Please visit the new Fight BAC! Web site, come back often, and let the
Partnership for Food Safety Education hear what you are doing to Fight
BAC!(TM)
E-Mail: fightbaced@mindspring.com
http://www.fightbac.org
 
New Partners
 
The Partnership for Food Safety Education welcomed three new members in
May; the National Food Processor's Association, the Food Temperature
Indicator Association and the National Fisheries Institute.
http://www.fightbac.org
 
"Safety Tips: Flood Clean-up"
 
The Partnership for Food Safety Education recommends several steps to
take in the kitchen when cleaning up after a flood to avoid foodborne
illnesses:
http://www.fightbac.org/safety_tips.cfm
 
 
RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS
 
FDA Corrects Erroneous Media Reports on Egg Safety Guidelines
Sunny-Side Up and Over Easy Eggs Can Still Be Served at Restaurants.
Contrary to some mistaken recent media reports, the 1999 FDA Food Code
does NOT prohibit restaurants from serving sunny-side-up or over-easy
eggs.
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2001/NEW00764.html
 
"Norwalk-Like Viruses - Public Health Consequences and Outbreak
Management"
MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), June 01, 2001 /
50(RR09);1-18
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5009a1.htm
 
Overview of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Food
Safety Programs and Activities
http://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/fsactivities.htm
 
"CDC involvement in investigating adverse health effects associated with
eating corn products potentially contaminated with the Cry9C Protein in
StarLink(TM) corn" (CDC Backgrounder)
http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r010613a.htm
 
Product Liability and Microbial Foodborne Illness
 
This report examines how product liability law treats personal injuries
attributed to microbially contaminated foods. The risk of lawsuits
stemming from microbial foodborne illness and the compensation may
create economic incentives for firms to produce safer food.resulting
court-awarded
http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/aer799/
 
FDA One-Page Fact Sheets Now Available
 
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) developed a series of one-page
Fact Sheets summarizing their various activities including those
involving food safety.
http://www.fda.gov/opacom/factsheets/justthefacts.
 
"Basics for Handling Food Safely"
 
FSIS updated the popular publication: "Basics for Handling Food Safely."
Safe steps in food handling, cooking, and storage are essential to
prevent foodborne illness.  The Spanish version will be available soon.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/pubs/facts_basics.htm
 
"Focus on Parasites and Foodborne Illness"
 
Parasites may be present in food or in water and can cause disease.
Ranging in size from tiny, single-celled organisms to worms visible to
the naked eye, parasites are more and more frequently being identified
as causes of foodborne illness in the United States.  The illnesses they
can cause range from mild discomfort to debilitating illness and
possibly death.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/pubs/parasite.htm
 
"FSIS Promotes Independence from Foodborne Illness"
 
Fourth of July picnics and gatherings must be kept safe from interlopers
such as bacteria and other microorganisms that can cause foodborne
illness. Being ill in summer -- the optimum time for outdoor freedom --
is no picnic; yet, year after year, foodborne illnesses increase during
the summer. There are reasons why this happens and ways to ensure picnic
food safety.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/news/2001/july4.htm
 
"Redesigned Slaughter Inspection System Improves Food Safety"
The Food Safety and Inspection Service recently announced that the
revised design of its HACCP-based inspection models project continues to
produce results showing dramatic improvements in food safety and other
consumer protections, according to FSIS verification data now available
for young chickens.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/news/2001/himpdata0607.htm
 
EdNet to go to APHA's (American Public Health Association) 129th Annual
Meeting in October!
An abstract entitled: "International Electronic Newsletter Offering
Convenience to Nutrition and Food Safety Educators" was accepted for
poster presentation and will be included in the following session at the
meeting: "Harnessing Creativity and Technology for Nutrition Education,"
scheduled for Monday, October 22, 2001, Atlanta, GA.
http://apha.confex.com/apha/129am/techprogram/meeting_129am.htm
 
How to Reference Archived EdNet Issues
 
EdNet subscribers or interested readers can access all EdNet issues
archived since October, 1997 from the Web site:
http://www.foodsafety.gov/~fsg/ednet.html
 
 
THERMY(TM)
 
How Thermy(TM) plans to spend his summer vacation!
 
Thermy's(TM) message is being spread to consumers through state and
local agricultural fairs, health fairs, parades, conventions, and food
safety training workshops and seminars.  Take a look at the wide variety
of destinations nationwide...there is interest from all over...Most of
the Thermy(TM) costume and publication requests have been generated by
EdNet subscribers and callers to the USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline!
 
Thermy's(TM) summer schedule:
 
* June 11-25  Thermy(TM) will visit Buehler's Food Markets to help
celebrate a grand opening in Ashland, Ohio.
 
* June 28-July 5  Thermy(TM) will spend the Fourth of July celebrating
summer food safety by promoting the use of food thermometers at
Albertson's Grocery Store in Oakland, CA.
 
* July 15-18  Thermy(TM) will accompany FSIS to the American School Food
Service Association Annual Meeting at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville,
TN.  School food service district directors, managers, state agency food
service staff-including cooks and front line supervisors will be able to
shake hands with Thermy(TM).
 
* July 17-22  Thermy(TM) will travel to Saratoga, NY's County Fair,
sponsored by the Cornell Cooperative Extension.
 
* August 14  Thermy(TM) packs his trunk for the Midwest to attend the
Illinois State Fair, sponsored by the University of Southern Illinois.
 
* August 15  Thermy(TM) heads to the "Bluegrass State" to attend the
Kentucky State Fair, sponsored by the Kentucky Dept. for Public Health.
 
Make a reservation for Thermy(TM) to attend your upcoming event!
fsis.outreach@usda.gov
 
Visit the Thermy(TM) Web pages at:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Thermy
 
 
NEWS FROM THE USDA/FDA FOODBORNE ILLNESS EDUCATION INFORMATION CENTER
 
How do you say food safety in Chinese?
 
Check out the Web sites below for food safety teaching materials in
languages other than English.
 
The site for U.S. federal, state, and local food safety materials has a
foreign language section with documents in Chinese, French, German,
Spanish, Russian, Portuguese, Japanese, and Korean.  This includes
education materials from the Partnership for Food Safety Education, the
FDA Bad Bug Book, and more.
http://www.foodsafety.gov/~fsg/fsglang.html
 
The Integrated Food Safety Information Delivery System by the Iowa Dept.
of Inspections and Appeals and IOWAccess provides fact sheets and signs
for use in food establishments in French, Korean, Bosnian, Spanish,
Italian, Japanese, German, Vietnamese, Laotian, Chinese, Greek, and
Russian.
http://www.profoodsafety.org
 
The above Web sites and additional sites from other countries are
available on the Foodborne Illness Education Information Centers's Food
Safety Index at:
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodborne/fbindex/index.htm
 
Visit the Foodborne Illness Education Information Center's Web site for
more food safety information.
http://www.nal.usda.gov/foodborne
 
 
SYMPOSIUM
 
Central Science Laboratory, York, UK, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries
and Food
and Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN) U.S.
Food and Drug Administration/University of Maryland (Sponsors)
 
Second Joint Symposium on Food Safety and Nutrition:
Current Issues in Food Biotechnology
 
Date: July 11-13, 2001
Location: Inn and Conference Center
University of Maryland University College
3501 University Boulevard East
Adelphi, Maryland 20783
http://www.jifsan.umd.edu/Centralsci.htm
 
 
PEOPLE IN THE NEWS
 
Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services
 
Eric M. Bost was confirmed by the U.S. Senate and will be sworn in this
June as Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services.
http://www.usda.gov/agencies/gallery/bost.htm
 
Robert E. Brackett, Ph.D., Named FDA's Center for Food Safety and
Applied Nutrition's Director of Food Safety
 
Dr. Brackett will provide leadership for FDA's food safety work,
overseeing all aspects of food safety across the broad range of FDA's
food safety responsibilities.
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2001/NEW00761.html
 
FDA's New Lead Scientist for Epidemiology
 
Dr. Morrie Potter, formerly Director of FDA's Food Safety Initiative,
will rejoin CFSAN as Lead Scientist for Epidemiology.  Dr. Potter will
work closely with CDC, USDA agencies, and international organizations
such as WHO and FAO to increase epidemiological and surveillance
capabilities in areas such as infectious diseases, nutritional well
being, and foodborne environmental contaminants.  Dr. Potter will be
located in Atlanta, Georgia.
 
 
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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