|  |  | **Food Safety and Inspection    Service    United States Department of Agriculture    Washington, D.C. 20250-3700** |
|--|--|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

##### Consumer Information

##### Fall 1996

## The Food Safety Educator

#### Have You Seen This Label?

If you have, you're in good company. According to several new surveys, many consumersare reporting they have noticed the "Safe Handling Instructions" now found onpackages of meat and poultry.

For some, it's making a difference in how they handle food at home. 

The "Safe Handling Instructions" were mandated by the Food Safety andInspection Service in 1994. Now, a number of sources are providing revealing informationabout the label's impact.

Here are some "snapshots":

**According to the Food Marketing Institute** (FMI), six out of 10 shoppers areaware of the safe handling label. Of those shoppers, 43% said they had changed theirhandling practices as a result. The FMI survey was conducted by telephone and involved arepresentative nationwide sample of 2,008 male and female supermarket shoppers.

**The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),** in conjunction with statehealth departments, is starting to collect data on the safe handling label. Six statesadded questions about the label to their 1995 annual surveys of health practices,conducted by telephone with a representative number of people in each state.

While survey information is still preliminary, results in from one state, New York,indicate that 36 percent of the respondents reported seeing the label. Of those people, 80percent recalled a food safety message; 36 percent report changing a food preparationpractice.

According to Dr. Sean Altekruse, FDA liaison to the CDC, "the label hasinformation that can help people not get sick--and it's right there in everyone's home.All they need to do is pay attention to it."

Results from five additional states on the safe handling label should be in by the endof the year.

**In upstate New York**, a grocery chain called Wegmans conducted more than 4,500in-store interviews of shoppers. Their results: 68% said they had read the safe handlinglabel; 43% said it was "very useful." At the same time, 53% said they had somedifficulty trying to read the label. 

**An AP news story** issued April 17 showed that 89% of respondents said theyfollowed safe-handling instruction labels when asked "what do you personally do tohelp ensure the safety of the food you eat?"

The AP poll was a random sample of 1,019 adults nationwide, conducted by telephone.

More information about the effectiveness of the safe handling label will be coming inthe near future. FSIS is now working with the Food and Drug Administration to addquestions about the safe handling label to a major consumer survey to be conducted thiswinter. Results should be in by next spring. 

#### Timing's Not Everything

As the holidays approach, specialists on the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline have puttheir latest food safety advice for consumers in a number of feature articles released tothe media. 

The Hotline's main feature article is called "Timing's Not Everything." Thearticle includes guidance on cooking temperatures and variables that can affect theroasting time of whole birds. 

Many variables can affect roasting time, such as whether or not you're starting with apartially frozen bird, or the type of pan you use--dark pans cook faster for example. 

A meat thermometer should be used to check the internal temperature of the bird inseveral places for safety's sake in terms of undercooking and to prevent overcooking.

To take a look at the complete article, check out this newsletter's inserts.

Other articles in the Hotline Holiday Package include: - "The Big Thaw--Safe Defrosting Methods"
- "Safety of Duck and Goose--from Farm to Table"
- "No-Show Guests Jeopardize Food"
- "Safety of Giblets"

All articles in the Holiday Package can be accessed through the Internet via the FSISHome Page:*http://www.usda.gov/fsis*

For more information about the Meat and Poultry Hotline, contact Bessie Berry,Director, at (202) 720-5604.
Take Out Foods--Handle With Care
A lot of people call them take out foods. The industry calls them "home mealreplacements." But regardless of the name you use, remember: Handle With Care.

Concerns about the safety of take out foods were highlighted this past spring at theannual meeting in Chicago of the National Restaurant Association and the Food MarketingInstitute (FMI). Experts noted a "blurring" of the line between supermarkets andrestaurants as they compete for the growing "home meal replacement" market. 

The 1996 Trends Report, compiled by FMI, underscores the appeal of take out foods.According to the report, 38% of people responding said they eat take out foods"fairly often." That's on top of another 8% who said they eat them "prettymuch every time."

Food safety specialists on the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline share industry's concernabout the safety of take out foods. In cooperation with FMI and the Food and DrugAdministration, they put together a brochure called **"Take Out Foods--Handle WithCare." Top tips include**: - For hot foods, pick up or receive food HOT--and eat within 2 hours.
- If eating later, divide hot food into shallow containers, cover loosely and refrigerate    immediately.
- Keep cold food cold. Refrigerate immediately. 
- "If in doubt, throw it out."

For a look at the complete brochure, check out this newsletter's inserts. Feel free tocopy and distribute.
Egg Alert!
Food handlers need to continue to be alert to the importance of safe handling ofeggs--especially food handlers in hospitals, nursing homes and commercial kitchens.

Looking at data from 1976 through 1994, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) reports an increasing number of illnesses attributed to *Salmonella enteritidis*(SE), a bacteria associated with shell eggs. According to CDC, "the proportion ofreported Salmonella isolates that were SE increased from 5% to 28%." 

In addition, the data shows a high mortality rate in hospitals or nursing homes whichaccounted for "only 12% of all outbreak-associated cases but 90% of all deaths."

CDC's recommendations for preventing SE include not serving raw or undercooked eggs,especially to people who are immunocompromised. CDC also recommends that institutionsusing pooled eggs substitute pasteurized eggs for shell eggs. For complete safety, USDArecommends further cooking of pasteurized eggs as well.

CDC also notes that it's also important to store eggs in the refrigerator, not at roomtemperature. To see the report, check the August 30 issue of the Morbidity and MortalityWeekly Report. The report is available on the Internet. Check the CDC homepage at:*http://www.cdc.gov*. 

Safe handling of eggs is also important to consumers: Some behavioral risk surveysindicate about half of consumers still eat undercooked eggs. For safe handling info, checkthis newsletter's inserts. 
Meat and Poultry Inspection Modernizes for Safer Food
This past summer, FSIS made the most dramatic changes in the past 90 years in the waymeat and poultry is inspected in this country. Instead of relying on sensorymethods--sight, touch and smell--to check for signs of disease, the 7,400 federalinspectors in slaughter and processing plants will be using a science-based system formonitoring critical points in production and microbial testing.

New requirements for meat and poultry plants call for: - Every plant to have a "risk prevention" plan --also known as Hazard    Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP). 
- Routine testing by slaughter plants to minimize bacteria in products,  and
- USDA setting standards for plants for reducing harmful bacteria . 

The changes in inspection are designed to help cut risks from foodborne disease byreducing harmful bacteria.

At the same time, it's important for consumers not to become complacent becausebacteria cannot be totally eliminated.

"That's why the basics of safe food handling--spelled out on the Safe HandlingInstructions label--continue to be so important," said Marjorie Davidson, director offood safety education for FSIS. "Consumers need to know we ARE improving inspection,AND, food still needs to be handled with care." 

Interested in more information on last summer's inspection changes? 

Check out the FSIS Home Page on the World Wide Web: *http://www.usda.gov/fsis*
New Survey ID's Food Safety Risk-Takers
Who do you think is most likely to eat undercooked hamburgers? And who do you think ismost likely to stick with the safer, thoroughly cooked burger?

According to preliminary results from a new survey, the hamburger"risk-taker" is most likely to be a middle-aged, middle-income, educated whiteman. And the play-it-safe person--someone over 60. 

This is the type of information now being gleaned from a growing body of surveillancedata about food safety behaviors. 

According to Dr. Fred Angulo of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),"foodborne disease outbreaks are preventable and frequently linked to behaviors suchas high-risk food consumption. Until now, we have had very little data to monitor thesebehaviors and assess the impact of educational campaigns."

To help correct this problem, last year CDC provided state public health departmentswith a 12-question Food Safety Module that can be added to their annual surveys of riskbehaviors within the states (the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System).

According to Dr. Angulo, six states added the food safety questions last year, five areusing it this year, and "we hope more states will participate next year." 

"With data like this in hand, we'll be able to help educators develop and targetinformation campaigns based on what we **know** instead of what we **guess**, interms of who needs help," said Dr. Angulo.

In addition to revealing differences in food handling behaviors among different groupsof people, the 1995 survey data also showed: - Marked differences in food safety behaviors by region : For instance, a whopping    38% of men in Colorado said they eat undercooked hamburger. That's compared to only 13% of    the men in Washington state---the state that experienced the brunt of the 1993  E. coli     O157:H7 outbreak traced to undercooked burgers.
- Common risky behaviors:  Last year's data revealed that approximately half of the    people surveyed continue to eat undercooked eggs--a potential source of  Salmonella  enteritidis .

Additional data from the 1995 survey should be available by the end of this year. Statehealth departments interested in adding the Food Safety Module to their 1997 surveillanceof behavioral risks should contact: Dr. Sean Altekruse, FDA liaison to CDC, or Dr. FredAngulo, (404) 639-2206.
Browny the Burger Takes Pittsburgh!
Browny the Burger says "If I'm pink in the middle I'm cooked too little!"

That's the theme of a food safety campaign launched this past summer by the AlleghenyCounty Health Department in Pennsylvania.

Browny the Burger appeared on billboards and bus signs, and also made publicappearances on TV and radio talk shows, as well as civic events. 

The health department--through its costumed Browny the Burger character--took to thestreets with its campaign to combat *E. coli* O157:H7 outbreaks, which traditionallypeak during summer months.

The campaign also featured a coloring contest for kids, Browny the Burger refrigeratormagnets and a letter to parents outlining tips for safe hamburger preparation. 

A local retail food chain, Giant Eagle, was an active cooperator in the campaign anddonated 4,000 free tickets to a Pittsburgh Pirates home game to winners of the coloringcontest.

Interested in more information? Contact Glenda Christy or Michael Diskin at (412)578-8044.
Color Kids Safe
"Food Safety at Home, School and When Eating Out," is the title of a newchildren's coloring book developed jointly by FSIS's Food Safety and Education Office andthe Chef and the Child Foundation, an arm of the American Culinary Federation.

The 16-page coloring book is targeted to children ages 4-7. According to projectcoordinator Liz Lapping, "we were especially interested in developing something foryoung children because they are more susceptible to foodborne illness. This projectteaches kids about food safety--and makes it fun!" 

Each page of the book emphasizes a basic food handling rule in child-appropriatelanguage. To take a look at a copy, check this newsletter's inserts. Feel free to copy anddistribute.

For more information, contact Laura Fox or Liz Lapping at (202) 690-0351. *(Editor's Note: This number was changed in 1998 to (202)720-9352)*
The Pressing Need for Food Safety Education
That's the title of a new report just issued by the American Meat Institute Foundation(AMIF). The Foundation convened a panel of leading medical experts as well as foodscientists and educators to examine the problem of unsafe food handling in the U.S. 

The panel's conclusion: Americans don't know enough about preventing foodborne illnessand a major public education effort is essential.

For a copy of the report, contact John Eichberger, American Meat Institute, (703)841-2400. Or write: 

*American Meat Institute1700 N. Moore St., Suite 1600Arlington, Va. 22209*
FYI:
To see how far our services reach--The contractor that handles all the food servicesfor the U.S. military in Bosnia recently called the USDA/FDA Foodborne Illness EducationInformation Center for food safety materials.

You can reach them too:

On the Internet, visit the Center's World Wide Web site at: *http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodborne/foodborn.htm*

Or fax: (301)504-6409. 
Rip Off Section:
Stay Tuned!

It's time to re-examine food safety efforts to make sure they're as effective as theycan be in improving food handling practices. How do we do this?

FSIS and FDA will host a food safety conference to address strategies for food safetyeducation.

Check the Winter issue of this newsletter for info on time and place.
Reader Response:  FAX Back: 202/720-9063 
USDA's**Food Safety Education Office** is the consumer education divisionof FSIS. Staff educators, researchers, science writers, design and marketing experts workwith scientists and officials in government, academe, and private industry to produceeducational materials. FSE has 15 years of experience showing the positive impact of theseprint, video, and teleconference efforts.

We encourage you to FAX us your comments on topics you find useful or new directions wemight explore. Fax your views to: Editor, FSE.

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**For Further Information Contact:**FSIS Food Safety Education StaffDianne Durant, EditorPhone: (202) 720-7943Fax: (202) 720-9063

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