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

##### Consumer Information

##### Volume 3, No. 4 1998

## The Food Safety Educator

**New Consumer Research Driving Food Safety      Education**

New research by federal agencies is beginning to shedlight on consumers’ knowledge and awareness of foodbornepathogens. It’s also revealing ways consumers are improvingtheir food handling habits--and behaviors that continue to berisky. 

    To help food safety educators link to thisnew information in the planning stage, a small working group offederal researchers and food safety educators met together thispast July to discuss the research and possible implications forconsumer education.
    While not all data discussed at theconsumer research meeting have been published yet, this issue of *TheFood Safety Educator* highlights data now being released. Asadditional results are analyzed and published, they’ll becovered in this newsletter.
    Consumer educators from the Food andDrug Administration (FDA), USDA’s Food Safety and InspectionService and Cooperative Extension met with federal researchersrepresenting FDA, USDA and the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention (CDC).

    According to FDA’s Food SafetyEducation Officer Marjorie Davidson, "Data emerging fromconsumer research can provide us with vital information as webegin developing new food safety education programs. 

    "We are beginning to collectinformation that provides us with a picture of consumer behaviorover a number of years and sheds light on trends and changes inbehavior.

    "In addition, we are collecting datathrough a number of sources: the FDA/FSIS consumer survey, newCDC data, and new independent research. As a result, we can beginto refine and structure food safety education messages thattarget behavior that contributes to food safety risks. And, aseducators, we can begin to try to guide future consumerresearch." 

    According to Davidson, the working groupsought to accomplish a number of goals, including sharing studyresults across agencies, identifying how research can guideconsumer education messages and identifying areas for futureresearch. 

    In discussing the implications of theresearch, working group participants observed that:

   ******Future communication projects foreducators may need to focus on "skills building."**People report that they are handling food safely, said oneresearcher, but they don’t really know how to followthrough. They think they are thoroughly cooking food, when infact it’s undercooked. They report they are washing theirhands, when they are only rinsing with water.**    **Consumersmay be more receptive to "new" safe food handlinginformation—**information about emergingbacteria or new outbreaks. In addition, when people’sattention is drawn to food safety issues in the news, educatorsneed to be ready to help people learn.
    In considering how to communicate"risk" to consumers, **educatorsneed to understand and deal with consumer feelings concerningrisks.** Overemphasizing risks may alienateconsumers and scientific data concerning risk may seeminsignificant to consumers. Educators need to help consumersunderstand who faces increased risks from foodborne illness andwhy.

**Highlights: ConsumerResearch Meeting**
****FDA:Consumers Are Changing
"The big picture is, people saythey are changing… changing like crazy," said Dr. AlanLevy of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Consumers’handling of food has improved dramatically over the past 5 years,according to Levy.
    People now report a greater awareness ofsome specific pathogens and many now say they follow the basicsof safe food handling. But, problem areas and food safety gapsstill exist.

    What’s generated the reported change?According to Levy, much of the knowledge gained appears to havebeen driven by foodborne illness outbreaks and media coverage.

    These are some of the results now beinganalyzed from the 1998 FDA/FSIS Consumer Food Safety Survey.

    FDA researchers Drs. Sara Fein and Levyprovided participants at the consumer research meeting withinsights drawn from the survey and discussed how food safetyeducators might make use of the data.

    Fein presented an overview of thesurvey’s findings and compared them to findings reportedfrom two previous surveys taken in 1988 and 1993.

    Levy presented information drawn fromvarious demographic groups.

    **What the survey shows:**Fein explained that the 1998 survey was a representativenationwide telephone survey of 2,001 people taken betweenFebruary and April.

    While not all questions asked in 1988 and1993 were identical, "the trends over the three surveysallow us to look at behaviors, awareness, knowledge, and riskperception over a period of time," Fein said.

    **The surveysshow many improvements, according to Fein.**

**    •**Some of the **most dramatic changes have concernedconsumers’ knowledge of microbes.** In 1993, 84percent (%) of consumers knew about *Salmonella*. In 1998,that number had increased to 93%.

    In 1993, 39% of consumers knew that foodwith *Salmonella* contamination could be made safe bycooking. By the 1998 survey, that figure had jumped to 62%. 

    Fein reported that the survey also shows asignificant reduction in the number of consumers eating pinkhamburgers. Twenty-five percent reported that they ate pinkhamburgers in 1988--16% reported this behavior in 1998. 

    **• People also have a greater understanding of therisks of leaving foods, like meat, at room temperature.In1988, 17% of consumers felt it was okay to leave meat outovernight. Today that figure is down to only 6%. In 1988, 21%thought meat left at room temperature for more than 2 hours wassafe. Today, only 8% of consumers are making that mistake. 
    **• People see increased food safety risks in somefoods.** In 1988, 31% viewed chicken as a high-riskfood, today that number is 45%. In 1988, 25% saw red meat as ahigh-risk food, today 49% see it as risky. 

   **So what arethe most common problem areas?**

**    •**Only 5% of consumers see eggs as a food with potentiallydangerous bacteria, down from 9% in 1993-- and their handling ofeggs reflects that fact. 

    Fein noted that 65% don’t wash theirhands after handling raw eggs. And, she pointed out, 9 times asmany consumers eat raw eggs (37%) as eat steak tartare. Rawcookie dough appears to be one of the main sources of raw eggconsumption.

    **•**Consumers seem to understand the importance of thorough cooking,but **only 2% report using food thermometers to checkhamburger patties for doneness.**And only a few cooks(14%) use a thermometer to determine when chicken parts are done.

    **•**While consumers have improved their knowledge about theimportance of handwashing, Fein reports that "**cross-contamination**is still a difficult problem." 

    Twenty-four percent of consumers admittedthey don’t wash their hands with soap after handling foodlike raw meat, and 21% don’t wash their cutting board aftercutting these foods. In addition, 32% don’t wash their handsbefore cooking the main meal.

    **•**Another knowledge gap: **food safety risks from homes.**By and large, most consumers still think that problems are mostlikely to occur in restaurants or processing plants, not theirown homes. Forty percent think that it is not common to get sickfrom food preparation at home. 

    "People don’t think food safetyis their responsibility," Levy said. "You can see thisin a number of places. They don’t feel concerned about risksthey can control."

    **•**Another difficult issue: **consumers don’t know thatsome people are at higher risk of foodborne illness than others.**Fein noted that nearly two-thirds (62%) were not aware of anyrisk groups. Most of those who named a risk group used behavioralcharacteristics, such as not washing hands. Only 4% ofrespondents correctly noted that young children are high risk.Only 6% knew that the elderly were also high risk.

    Levy pointed out that "people justdon’t see themselves in the risk groups. For instance, theterm ‘elderly’ needs to be defined, perhaps explainingthat it is people over 60. We need to educate people that liverrisks relate to drinking. We need to explain what ‘immunecompromised’ means. "

    **Those are the "overall"numbers, but who is actually doing what?** How do thebehaviors of older people compare to those of younger people forinstance? 

    Well, the older folks have it all over theyounger folks. According to Levy, their food handling practicesare much safer. "In general, older people have good foodhandling habits, with the exception being their handling ofeggs."

    Who else does a good job in terms of foodsafety knowledge and safe handling of food? Blacks and ethnicminorities, and people with less education.

    People with low food safety knowledge andskills include young people (ages 18 to 25), people with highereducation levels, whites, and men. 

    **Where do wego from here?** Current research indicates that, byand large, people report they are handling food safely. But, Levysaid, a question remains concerning the gap between what peoplesay they do and what they actually do. 

    "People tell us they never undercookchicken, but independent research shows that 30% of the time thechicken is not cooked thoroughly. It’s not intentional, butit’s undercooked. I think that is really very significant.Even when people are trying, they don’t always achieve whatthey intend." 

    Future research may address this gap.**Highlights: Consumer Research Meeting**Go to theSource
One of the best ways to zero in on what consumersare thinking, is to ask them. That’s the reason for focusgroup testing. 

    Dr. Alan Heaton from FDA has used focusgroup research on a number of issues that are of criticalimportance to food safety educators, including:
- Thermometer use
- Hamburger handling
- Safe handling label
- Vibrio vulnificus
- FDA consumer advisory.

    "You can learn a lot from focusgroups, and it’s a process that can be done quickly andcheaply," Heaton reinforced at the consumer researchmeeting. He added that it’s important to have a trainedmoderator.

    One of Heaton’s observations fromfocus group research was that people "like information thatis new and they can use--something that prompts them to say,‘Wow, I didn’t know that!’"

    Heaton’s research concerning the FDAconsumer advisory revealed useful information for educators aboutconsumer reactions to "risk" and warning labels. 

    The FDA consumer advisory was designed as a"warning" on restaurant menus that would alerthigh-risk people to dangers from foods, such as uncooked eggs.Focus group research showed that consumers reacted negatively tothe warnings. As a result, FDA is changing its initial approach.

    If you’re interested in moreinformation on FDA’s focus group research, call202/205-5394.
Do’s and Don’ts on Warning Messages**FDA’s focus groupsprovide great information for educators.

    Here are just a few highlights gleaned fromFDA’s research:

**Warning messages are ineffective because:**
- People perceive that nutrition and dietary advice is        constantly changing.
- There is a pervasive sense that warnings exist primarily        to protect manufacturers from lawsuits.
- Warnings have become so commonplace they are ignored.
- People don’t see themselves in "risk"        categories, especially the elderly.
- People have trouble interpreting statistical information        about risk. "It’s hard to use numbers to        persuade people," Heaton said.

**Warning messages are effective when they:**
- Provide new or "added value" information.
- Clearly state the nature of the hazard.
- Put the most important information first--don’t bury        it.
- Are concise.
- Are attention-getting, either visually or written in a        novel way.
- Are believable.
- Have been thoroughly tested. 
Highlights: Consumer Research Meeting
**CDCReports...**FoodNet**
The Foodborne Disease Active Surveillance Network(FoodNet) now monitors foodborne disease in 7 sites covering 20.3million people, 7.5% of the nation’s population, accordingto Samantha Yang, MPH, of the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention (CDC).

    Yang presented an overview ofFoodNet’s surveillance systems and goals for 1998, includingsurveillance for Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome and improved outbreakresponse.

    An abstract by Dr. Fred Angulo distributedat the consumer research meeting pointed out that "FoodNetis a sentinel network that can rapidly respond to new andemerging foodborne pathogens." 

    Among the key findings of CDC’ssurveillance activities in 1997:**    • The overall burden of diarrhealdisease is significant. FoodNet estimates that 360 millioncases of diarrheal illness occur each year, resulting inapproximately 28 million medical consultations. It’s notknown at this time what percentage of these illnesses can belinked to food.
**    • *Campylobacter*was the mostfrequently diagnosed pathogen under surveillance, even thoughoutbreaks caused by this pathogen are rare. A study of *Campylobacter*infections that began in 1998 will identify control points anddirect future prevention strategies.
**    • FoodNet showed that the occurrence *ofEscherichia coli* O157:H7 varied among the FoodNet sites andthat consumption of undercooked hamburgers at homes orrestaurants is a risk factor for infection.

    In contrast with the findings of previousinvestigations, hamburgers eaten at fast-food restaurants werenot associated with infection, suggesting that recent changes inthe industry may have reduced *E. coli*O157:H7 infectionsfrom that source. 

    Expanded efforts to reduce contamination ofmeat and to promote thorough cooking of hamburgers can furtherreduce the number of these infections. A CDC study is planned toexplore other potential control points.

**    •Hospitalization rates were highestfor persons with *Listeria*infections and *Listeria*causednearly half of the reported deaths from foodborne disease.**Becauseof this, FoodNet will conduct additional studies of *Listeria*infections to identify food sources and potential control points.**    •FoodNet and state surveillanceidentified an outbreak of *Vibrio parahaemolyticus*associatedwith the consumption of raw oysters in western states. As aresult, oyster beds were closed and the public was warned,preventing further human illness.

    More information on FoodNet is availablethrough the Internet, including the April 1998 *Report toCongress*. Go to: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/foodnet/foodnet.htm****Behavioral Risk 
Another source of information onconsumer behavior is a survey of approximately 20,000 peopleconducted by a number of state public health departments throughtheir annual surveys of risk behaviors, the Behavioral RiskFactor Surveillance system, (BRFSS). 
    To help assess risk in relationship to foodhandling, CDC and FDA developed 12 questions about food safetythat can be added to the state surveys.

    In 1995 and 1996, eight states used all orsome of the questions when they conducted their BRFSS surveys.The results show some interesting similarities to the FDA/FSISConsumer Survey.

    Dr. Sean Altekruse, FDA liaison to CDC,briefed the consumer research meeting on their findings. He notedthat "risky behavior was relatively common among men andyoung adults, as well as high-income earners. One theory is thatsince high-income earners don’t fix food often, they may notbe aware of how to handle food safely.

    "There is also some suggestion thatkitchen experience is what matters more than didacticinformation."

    According to Samantha Yang, MPH, of CDC,"We’re encouraging states to add these food safetyquestions to their risk factor surveillance. Surveys can bevitally important in helping states identify their food safetyeducation needs. And, if the data is collected periodically,states can use this information to evaluate the effectiveness oftheir education efforts."

    These survey results were recentlypublished in the *CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report*,Sept. 11, Vol.47/SS-4. Internet access: http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/mmwr_ss.html
**Coming Soon!****A FoodNet newsletter. Now you won’thave to find out secondhand what’s happening with foodbornedisease surveillance. Find out first.
CDC is launching a free quarterly newsletter designed toprovide you with information from the sentinel sites as well as apreview of upcoming projects. Interested?

Contact:    Sam Yang, MPH    CDC/FDDB/NCID    Mail Stop A-38    1600 Clifton Rd., N.E.    Atlanta, GA 30333    404/639-4356 [email protected]
**TemperatureMatters
Do you use a food thermometer? Manyfolks would answer "yes" for the holiday meal. But howabout for every day?
    According to the new FDA/FSIS ConsumerSurvey, only 2% of people use a food thermometer to check thetemperature of ground beef patties. 

    That’s a problem FSIS is determined todo something about. New USDA research proves that the color ofmeat is not a reliable indicator that the meat has reached atemperature high enough to destroy harmful bacteria such as *E.coli*O157:H7.

    According to Susan Conley, director ofFSIS’s food safety education and communications staff,"using a food thermometer is the only way to be sure aground beef patty is cooked to a high enough temperature todestroy harmful bacteria."

    The temperature needs to reach 160 degreesF. Research now shows that at that temperature, the patty maylook brown, pink, or some variation.

    Conley pointed out that this guidance isespecially important for people who are more susceptible tofoodborne illness: this includes young children, the elderly, andpeople with weakened immune systems.

    "We will be mounting an intensivecampaign to teach people about the importance of using foodthermometers for ground beef patties as well as other everydaymeals.

    "Research shows that most people *intend*to cook thoroughly, but they don’t always do it. A foodthermometer is the only reliable way to know if food is safelycooked. And, as an added bonus, the quality is good too. At 160degrees F you get a nice, juicy burger," Conley said.

    "People are used to using thermometersfor the holidays. They can use it every day and take asignificant step in protecting themselves and theirfamilies," Conley added.

    Check our inserts for a "how to"fact sheet on using food thermometers. ****
Grocery Store Chain Leads the Thermometer Bandwagon****    USDA’sconcern about use of food thermometers has helped prompt otherthermometer campaigns.**    Wegmans Food Markets, Inc., a grocery storechain in New York and Pennsylvania, launched a campaign lastsummer to educate consumers about the importance of cookingground beef to 160 degrees F.

    According to Wegmans Director of ConsumerAffairs, Mary Ellen Burris, "the campaign has produced verypositive results reversing a downward trend in ground beef salesand increasing consumer trust in Wegmans."

    The chain began marking its ground beefpackages with bright yellow labels encouraging thermometer useand cooking to 160 degrees F.

    At the same time, Wegmans began in-storedemonstrations in each of the chain’s 57 stores, teachingconsumers about safe grilling of burgers.

    A poster used in the demonstration picturedtwo burgers, one pink and one brown. "Which is done?"the poster asked. The poster provided the answer: the pink burgerhad been cooked to 160 degrees F, the brown burger to 140 degreesF.

    As Burris notes, "A lot of factors cancause hamburger to appear brown. The only way to really know ifit’s done, is to use a meat thermometer."

    Among the campaign’s impressiveresults: 
- Ground beef sales are moving up, instead of down.
- During the campaign’s 3 months, sales of        thermometers and disposable temperature indicators        reached over 22,000 units. This represents over 80        percent of their year-to-date sales.
- Consumer awareness of the recommended cooking temperature        for burgers (160 degrees F) increased from 12 percent to        38 percent.
- The number of consumers judging "doneness" by        temperature doubled, jumping from 8 percent to 16        percent.

    Finally, and significantly, "consumertrust in Wegmans meat increased as did their belief that Wegmanshas true concern for their customers when it comes to foodsafety," Burris said.
FYI...
**For a variety of background materials on        thermometer use and the color of cooked ground beef,        check the FSIS web site at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov**

news briefs

**HolidayAdvice From the Hotline**

**U**SDA’sMeat and Poultry Hotline has issued its new package of holidayinformation: 
- Countdown to the        Holiday
- Safe Handling of        Complete Meals to Go  (brochure)

    You can access themat: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/whatsnew.htm 

    Also, check theinserts in this newsletter for some "ConsumerInformation" fact sheets with great reminders about"Turkey Basics." These fact sheets focus on: 
- Safe Defrosting
- Stuffing
- Safe Cooking
- Handling Cooked Dinners

    Don’t forgetthat our nationwide, toll-free hotline has timely food safetymessages available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call1-800-535-4555. 

**AThermometer Campaign!**

**W**yomingCooperative Extension also launched a thermometer campaign in thefall of 1997. With a costumed hamburger character, freedisposable temperature indicators, brochures and grocery storedisplays, the local extension educator, health inspectors, andvolunteers fanned out through Albany County for an 8-week period.

    In their post-surveythey found the number of people using the disposable indicatorsto test the doneness of ground beef had increased from 3.3percent to 14.2 percent and the number of people aware of thedisposable indicators increased from 9.6 percent to 46.8 percent.

    For more informationon their campaign, contact:Mary Kay WardlawAlbany County Extension OfficeBox 1209Laramie, WY 82070 

**FREE:*Food Talk***

**F**oodTalk is a free monthly e-mail newsletter for healthprofessionals, educators and consumers. It’s published byUniversity of Nebraska Cooperative Extension, and it’sdistributed to more than 3,000 subscribers in 57 countries. 

    Each issue provides ashort, how-to message on food, nutrition or food safety. Thenewsletter is written by Alice Henneman, extension educator andregistered dietitian. And you’re encouraged to copy thematerial, just provide credit. 

    To subscribe, sendyour request:To: [email protected]Subject: (please leave blank)Message: SUBSCRIBE FOODTALK 

**IrradiationInformation on the Web**

**G**limpsesinto the world of irradiation are appearing on the web. One sitetakes you inside an irradiation facility with a"virtual" tour through an on-line video guide. Theother highlights research about irradiation technology. 

    The GroceryManufacturers of America (GMA) has the on-line video guideproviding a virtual tour of a Florida food irradiation facility.You can download the video, or you can order a copy. The web siteincludes speeches from GMA’s recent conference onirradiation. Go to: www.gmabrands.com

    The Food SafetyConsortium and Iowa State University Extension support researchinto irradiation by housing a plant with a commercial-size foodirradiator on-site. The plant is called the Linear AcceleratorFacility. You can check out the plant, as well as relatedirradiation research, through: http://www.foodsafety.iastate.edu

**MakingSense of Science**

**H**ardlya week goes by when we don’t hear of some new, and seeminglyconflicting, study about food and nutrition.

    Consumer surveysconfirm what we had already suspected: people are confused. Howcan we do a better job of communicating emerging science and putit in a context that people can understand better?

    To answer thatquestion, an advisory group was convened by the Harvard School ofPublic Health and the International Food Information CouncilFoundation (IFIC).

    The advisory groupdeveloped a set of guidelines called I*mproving PublicUnderstanding--Guidelines for Communicating Emerging Science onNutrition, Food Safety, and Health*. Their goal is to helpscientists and communicators provide the necessary context andqualifiers to aid the public in evaluating a study’srelevance and importance. 

    In an introduction,Timothy Johnson, MD, MPH, Medical Editor for *ABC’s GoodMorning America*, notes: "These *Guidelines* canonly make a difference if they don’t sit on a shelf. Puttingthese recommendations into practice just might make a differencein the public’s understanding of diet and health...."

    There are specificguidelines for a variety of groups, including journalists,scientists, journal editors and interest groups.

    The guidelines werefirst published in the *Journal of the National CancerInstitute* (February 4, 1998, Vol. 90, No. 3). They havesince been reproduced and are available through the Foundation.You can place an order or download the document from theirwebsite: http://ificinfo.health.org

**DealingWith "Hazard-Weary" Consumers**

**H**owdo you deal with consumers who have been over-exposed to hazardsnews?

    Susan Conley,director of the FSIS food safety education and communicationstaff, addressed this problem in a speech to environmentalsanitarians in August.

    The answer, she said,is not to provide "*less* information. We have aresponsibility to empower the public to protect itself from thepublic health hazard of foodborne illness."

    Communicators, Conleysaid, need to provide information in a way that minimizes the"hazard-weary" phenomenon.

    To do this, Conleysuggests that communicators take a number of steps. The first,and most important step, is to make sure the information isscience-based. This is a process, she acknowledges, that hasbecome "a lot more complicated in recent years."

    In addition, sheencouraged communicators to remember that "the messages mustbe practical and motivate consumers to action. They must also beconsistent and when needed, targeted for a specificaudience."

    To read the speech,go to: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/speeches/sc_iamfes.htm

**SproutWarning**

**T**hispast summer, FDA reaffirmed previous health advisories thatpeople at high risk for serious foodborne disease should avoideating raw alfalfa sprouts.

    The Centers forDisease Control and Prevention also issued similar advice inAugust, following outbreaks of *E. coli*O157:H7 traced tosprouts. The government and growers are exploring interventionmethods to improve sprout safety.

**FDA’s Food InformationHotline: 800/FDA-4010FDA’s website: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov**

**News From FSIS**

**C**atherineE. Woteki, the USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety, has beenelected to the prestigious Institute of Medicine of the NationalAcademy of Sciences (NAS).

    Each year, Institutemembers devote volunteer time to conducting studies and issuingreports on a broad range of health issues.

    In a press release,USDA Secretary Dan Glickman said, "The Institute of Medicineis recognized worldwide for its members’ work in examiningpolicy matters related to the public’s health. It’s anhonor to have the senior food safety official of the Departmentof Agriculture elected to such an esteemed group, and I know Dr.Wotecki will contribute to its efforts."

    NAS is a private,non-profit society of scholars engaged in scientific research. In1970, NAS established the Institute of Medicine to address publichealth issues. 

    It advises thefederal government on public health matters and, through its owninitiatives, identifies and studies issues related to medicalcare, research and education. The Institute currently has 574active members. 

**The BAC Page**

**BACHits:**

There have been over 2 million hits todate on the Fight BAC!tm website.

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In the past year, the Fight BAC!tmcampaign has been everywhere and done just about everything. 
- **TV** As of this past        August, more than 100 stations carried the BAC public        service announcement including 15 of the "Top        25" markets. This represents an estimated $1.7        million of free airtime!
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    **PUBLICATIONSare flying around the country.**

    The Partnership forFood Safety Education has shipped approximately 12,000supermarket kits to Food Marketing Institute members and about52,000 community action kits to health educators.

    The ConsumerInformation Center, (CIC) in Pueblo, Colorado has distributedmore than 30,000 copies of the BAC brochure and another 26,000have been distributed by the Partnership. CIC can be reachedtollfree at 1/888-878-3276.

**AndNow...**

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    You can order thesematerials and more directly from the website, or contact:Partnership for Food Safety Education800 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Suite 500Washington, D.C. 20006202/452-8444fax: 202/429-4550 

**ComingSoon...**

The public relations firm FleishmanHillard has been selected to spearhead this year’s campaign.The firm will focus on national recognition of the BAC!tmcharacter. Also in the works for this coming spring: ateacher’s guide for grades four through six.

**Subscribe for Free!**

*The Food Safety Educator* is afree quarterly publication. To subscribe, send us your name andmailing address. 
- You can e-mail the information to: [email protected]
- You can fax to 202/720-9063.
- Or you can write:        Food Safety Education        Room 1180 South Bldg.        FSIS/USDA        Washington, D.C. 20250    ****  **For Further Information Contact:**FSIS Food Safety Education StaffDianne Durant, EditorPhone: (202) 720-7943Fax: (202) 720-9063  *Educator* Menu | FSIS HomePage | USDA Home Page**************************************