Search Results for: National food safety education month

Prep Yourself: Food Is On the Way!

August 30, 2021

Partnership for Food Safety Education behind first national food safety campaign for food delivery

Press Release (Aug. 30, 2021)

Responding to the increasing use of food delivery services and as National Food Safety Education Month kicks off, the Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE) has launched a new national campaign to help food delivery users ensure the safety of their delivered foods. Prep Yourself: Food Is on the Way, the first national food safety campaign specifically targeting users of food delivery services, seeks to encourage safe food handling at home and educate consumers on what to consider when ordering from food delivery services.

“The coronavirus pandemic kicked food delivery usage into overdrive,” said Shelley Feist, executive director of PFSE. “We’re excited to have led the expert collaboration behind these new, consumer-tested resources. Using this campaign is a great way to start a conversation with people who want to ensure health and safety when ordering food to be delivered.”

Food delivery services include meal kits, restaurant delivery and grocery delivery. According to an April 2020 survey conducted by Statista, over one-third of both suburban and urban respondents said they used online food delivery services or restaurant apps to order food. According to the 2021 Food and Health Survey conducted by the International Food Information Council, 72% of Americans say the pandemic is changing the way they eat and prepare food. This study showed 42% of consumers are shopping for groceries online at least monthly.

“Where consumers get their food has changed, from around the corner to around the world. With foods now delivered to their homes by a variety of delivery models, empowering consumers with the knowledge they need to keep their families safe is key to the prevention of foodborne illnesses and a central tenet of FDA’s New Era of Smarter Food Safety,” said Frank Yiannas, deputy commissioner for food policy and response at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “We are grateful for the good work done by the Partnership for Food Safety Education to provide consumers with food safety educational messages during these changing times.”

Prep Yourself: Food Is on the Way includes digital advertising, social media, and print collateral that can be integrated into food delivery service provider communications or other food safety educator communications. With a suite of downloadable resources, the PFSE encourages anyone who is interested in communicating about food safety in the delivery space to access the free materials. The PFSE will be utilizing the campaign resources throughout the month of September, National Food Safety Education Month, and beyond.

“The food industry needs resources to help communicate with consumers amid this changing landscape,” said Steven Mandernach of the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO). “PFSE’s new Prep Yourself campaign will help food safety experts and other people who deal with consumers in the food safety space reach consumers with important information about how to keep food safe at home. We’re in a new era of food safety, and it requires that everyone understand their role in maintaining the safety of our food from the farm to our tables.”

The Partnership for Food Safety Education recognizes AFDO, Instacart and Sysco for their support of Prep Yourself: Food Is on the Way.

On Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021, PFSE and AFDO co-hosted a webinar that brought together more than 500 attendees to learn about the new campaign resources. Campaign resources and more information can be found at fightbac.org/prep-yourself. Social media content related to the campaign can be found using #prepyourself.

About the PFSE
The non-profit Partnership for Food Safety Education is the originator of science-based food safety messages and the national leader in developing and disseminating information around the linkage of food safety consumer education with positive health outcomes. Food safety and health educators, and consumers, can download free food safety education information from the Partnership’s website at fightbac.org. The Partnership is the creator and steward of the popular Fight BAC!® national food safety education campaign.

Download a PDF of this press release.

The 18-month process to develop Prep Yourself: Food is on the Way was led by outgoing PFSE Executive Director Shelley Feist. Shelley has served as Executive Director since 2003. She is leaving this role in September 2021 to start her own business.

National Food Safety Month

September is National Food Safety Month!

Join us for a Collective Day of Action on September 18, bringing awareness to safe food practices that help to reduce the risk of food poisoning. Take the pledge to join collective efforts in sharing food safety information.

In 2024, more than 150 organizations participated in Collective Day of Action, reaching about 4 million people in just one day with healthy, food practices.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
an estimated 1 in 6 people in the United States (or 48 million people) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die from eating contaminated food a year.

Getting sick from food poisoning can be very serious. Click here to hear stories from people impacted by food poisoning and why prevention matters.

How to Participate in Collective Day of Action

Anyone can participate! We make it easy with ready-to-go messages, graphics, and activity ideas that you can trust to be evidence-based and positively focused. You can use these internally to boost your food safety culture work or externally to engage your communities and loved ones.

1. Pledge for impact!

Make sure you pledge your participation so we can include your impact in the overall efforts. Capturing total impact is important for demonstrating the need for food safety education.

2. Make a plan. Consider the following:

How do you want to participate? Here are some ideas for you to consider.
Who is your audience – internal or external?
Who do you need involved – marketing, field agents, etc.?
Do you need additional resources? Check out the food safety store for prizes and giveaways!

4. Copy. Paste. Post.

Use this ready-to-go toolkit filled with messages and graphics that are science-based and reinforce positive health behaviors. All you need to do is copy, paste, and post!

4. Tell a friend.

Invite other organizations or people in your network to participate in this national effort to reduce food poisoning risk.

Thank you to our 2025 Collective Day of Action Pledged Participants

(as of 9.17.25):

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Big Y Foods, Inc.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases (DFWED)
Child Care of the Berkshires
Columbus Public Health
Cuyahoga County Board of Health
Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, Inc. (FCCLA)
FMI – The Food Industry Association
Food Safety Magazine
HACCP Consulting Group
Henry County Extension
Henry & Strak County Health Departments
International Food Information Council (IFIC)
JBS USA
K-State Extension-Shawnee County
Levy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness
Mahwah Health Department
NC Cooperative Extension
Nutpods
Prairie View A&M University
Refrigerated Foods Association
Responsible Training
Texas Tech University
University of Massachusetts Amherst
USDA
USDA Food Safety & Inspection Service
Valley Oaks Post Acute
Waller County Extension Office

2024 Collective Day of Action Participants*:

Sysco
Wayne-Sanderson Farms
University of Maryland Extension
K-State Research & Extension Pottawatomie County, SNAP-Ed
Inocuidad Gemela RD
K-State Research and Extension, SNAP-Ed
Carver Food Enterprise Center
Virginia Cooperative Extension
Whitsons School Nutrition
Vietnam Soil Science Society
Baby Food and Fun, LLC
University of Idaho Extension
Whitsons Culinary Group
James Madison University
Dr. Fatemeh Malekian
And many more …

*This is not a comprehensive list. Some organizations opted out of public listing.

Additional Resources

Leading Organizations in Food and Health Join in Fight Against Foodborne Illness

August 13, 2019

Nonprofit Partnership for Food Safety Education secures record number of supporters in effort to improve public health outcomes

Arlington, Va. (Aug. 13, 2019) — The non-profit Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE) works tirelessly to raise awareness on how foodborne illness can be prevented. That’s why PFSE is excited to announce that a record number of Partners have joined them to increase public awareness of safe food handling.

“I think we’re seeing great enthusiasm around the idea of the chain of prevention as a shared responsibility with consumers,” said Kathy Means, CAE, chairman of the Board of PFSE and vice president of Demand Creation & Consumer Affairs with the Produce Marketing Association. “Supporting consumer education through a charitable donation to PFSE is an important way for a company, commodity or professional association to highlight its core values around health and food safety.”

Contributing Partners provide year-round funding that allows PFSE to serve consumers with a leading website (fightbac.org) and downloadable, science-based tools. Funding also supports a network of health and food safety educators with free events and other support for their community-based work in food safety education.

Each year, an estimated 48 million Americans are affected by foodborne illness (CDC). Certain people are at increased risk of hospitalization and for potentially life-threatening conditions (CDC). Children under the age of fifteen are the most likely to get sick from food poisoning (CDC).

The following organizations have joined forces to elevate basic safe food handling and hand hygiene practices in the United States (in alphabetical order):

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
American Frozen Food Institute
Association of Food and Drug Officials*
Cargill, Inc.
Center for Food Integrity
Chipotle Mexican Grill
Conagra Brands
Consumer Federation of America*
FoodLogiQ
Food Marketing Institute Foundation*
International Association for Food Protection
International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association
International Food Information Council
Instacart
McDonald’s Corporation
Meijer, Inc.
National Association of Convenience Stores
National Chicken Council*
National Grocers Association
National Pork Board
National Restaurant Association
National Turkey Federation
North American Millers’ Association
NSF International
Produce Marketing Association*
Publix Super Markets Charities
Refrigerated Foods Association
Sysco Corporation
Tyson Foods, Inc.
United Fresh Produce Association

(*denotes a founding Partner)

Passion for consumer food safety education has been the secret to the Partnership’s growth. PFSE celebrated a number of successes in the past year:

Launch of the Safe Recipe Style Guide in March 2019, a systemic approach based on observational data showing that safe food handling prompts in recipes lead to adherence to safe food handling practices at home
Reached more than 150,000 households with young children in three months with information on safe handling of bottles and baby food
The Story of Your Dinner campaign reached over 205 million consumers during the 2018 holiday meal time season
The flagship website, fightbac.org, received nearly 2 million visitors
Safe poultry handling messages reached 1.2 million consumers through the Don’t Wing It campaign
Featured article in Diabetes Forecast magazine reached 6 million readers

“Non-profit organizations rely heavily on engaging partners to be as effective as possible in improving the lives of individuals. The non-profit Partnership for Food Safety Education is honored to be supported by such passionate organizations representing the food industry, scientific associations, nutrition and consumer groups,” Means said.

For more information visit fightbac.org, or contact Britanny Saunier, 202-688-3260 ext. 3 or bsaunier@fightbac.org

About the Partnership for Food Safety Education
The non-profit Partnership for Food Safety Education is the originator of science-based food safety messages and the national leader in developing and disseminating information around the linkage of food safety consumer education with positive health outcomes. Food safety and health educators, and consumers, can download free food safety education information from the Partnership’s website at fightbac.org. The Partnership is the creator and steward of the popular Fight BAC!® national food safety education campaign.

###

Contact: Shelley Feist
202-220-0651
sfeist@fightbac.org

CATHY PROVIDES FOOD SAFETY TRAINING IN NEW JERSEY

December 21, 2017

Cathy John, a certified food safety professional with Keeping Food Safe, Inc., is very active in her New Jersey community, offering food safety training and consulting services. Cathy hosted a presentation at the James F. McGuire Memorial Senior Citizen Center in Northvale to promote National Food Safety Education Month.

She spoke to the seniors about the importance of proper safe food handling to keep them healthy. The seniors were actively engaged and asked questions about what steps they should take to prevent cross-contamination that can lead to foodborne illness. The presentation highlighted the importance of the four core principles – Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill.

Cathy has worked in the food service industry for over 15 years and recognizes the vital need for food safety training and education. She aims to empower food service employees to make the right choices that will protect the health and safety of consumers, while maintaining food safety standards within the business.

“No food service business is too small to have a food safety plan in place as it protects the business and consumer,” Cathy said.

Way to go, Cathy! Thank you for helping to keep our food safe!

Kick Off! Publix Supports Food Safe Tailgates!

September 23, 2015

9/23/2015. Publix Super Markets connects its National Food Safety Education Month outreach (September) with its’ Publix Ultimate Food Safe Tailgate Experience! Publix is the official supermarket of four National Football League teams – the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Atlanta Falcons—and also supports area college football.

Throughout September Publix is supporting food-safe tailgating events for fans of all the teams – including handing out the Publix Chill Checker and thermometers to fans!

While food safety is every day at Publix, in September especially the company stresses the importance of food safety with its’ associates –while they are at work through weekly communications and while at home through its’ associate website.

In September Publix is also working with Newspapers in Education to deliver a 20-page food safety curriculum program for high school students throughout the Southeastern US. Each newspaper has a Publix Chill Checker attached to the front page. A social media campaign encourages these students to use their Publix Chill Checker and post to Instagram.