Partnership for Food Safety Education

FightBAC!

CATHY PROVIDES FOOD SAFETY TRAINING IN NEW JERSEY

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!

Seniors in Michigan Focus on Food Safety

In July, Eileen Haraminac, MS, an extension educator with Michigan State University, responded to the Partnership for Food Safety Education’s offer to BAC Fighters for a Don’t Wing It health fair kit. The kits were mailed out in late August.

Eileen put the kit into action when she partnered with the Macomb County (MI) Community Action Group – Macomb Food Program at one of their food distribution sites – the Centerline Towers Senior Apartments. They brought in the mobile food pantry to distribute fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, bread and other items for the residents.

The event brought out 75 seniors. As the seniors waited in line for the distribution, Eileen gathered them in small groups of 10 to discuss the Don’t Wing It brochure and to have short conversations about the use of the plastic bags at the meat counter. Eileen talked with the seniors about the poultry handling messages and the recipes from Don’t Wing It. She reports that most of the seniors were unaware of the spread of bacteria from rinsing poultry, and she thinks that it was effective to talk with them about the importance of safe minimum temperatures to kill bacteria.

Don’t Wing It Is a Hit with Older Americans

BAC Fighter Jennifer Jackson is with the Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities in Annapolis, Maryland. She told us, “We have a lot of fun speaking to people about food safety, and this new Don’t Wing It campaign really helped us inform them about how to practice food safety from store to table.”

Informative Fun for Older Americans Month 

Jennifer and colleagues celebrated Older Americans Month in May with a fun and informative health fair booth featuring Don’t Wing It tips and guidelines. They estimate they reached about 350 people during the event.

Ask Me About My Skittles…

A display board presented the Don’t Wing It tips for the safe purchase and preparation of poultry. It also included a “Skittles” visual showing how quickly bacteria multiply when in the danger zone.

Cross-Contamination “Show and Tell”

At another station, using a package of chicken from the local grocery store, Jennifer and colleagues demonstrated how to use bags to prevent cross-contamination while shopping. This demo generated lots of questions about the proper use of the bags when handling poultry.

Heating Up Cookouts: Using a Food Thermometer

At the cookout station, Department of Aging staff demonstrated how to properly use a food thermometer while preparing food on their mini-grill. This demo received lots of positive feedback and inquiries about where to purchase a food thermometer.

 

 

Wash Hands, Not Poultry!

Many people were surprised about the recommendation to not wash poultry. Jennifer and her team talked with some older adults who were adamant about washing their chicken, but they were able to convince at least a few to change their practices after sharing Don’t Wing It information. Jennifer said, “I spoke with one lady who has been washing her chicken for over 30 years. After explaining to her the risks involved with washing poultry, she made a vow to stop washing chicken that day. She also took information for her daughter, who also washes her chicken.”

Remember This Chick?

Chelsea the Chicken was also in attendance, sunbathing at the top of the tent!

Jennifer shared: “We love all of the resources your organization provides and look forward to your next campaign!”

 

Fighting BAC with Clean, Reusable Bags

Lynn NakanakamuraTenganmura-Tengan is an Extension Educator at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Lynn and her team at the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources developed and disseminated information on Germ-free Reusable Bags (GRUB) through the Nutrition Education for Wellness website, Hawaii county website, National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences national meeting, workshops, and various community events. Download the flyer here: www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/new/resources/grub_flyer.pdf

Lynn shares the story of “Jan” and how she changed her reusable bags practices after learning about GRUB.

Reusable Bags are Handy for This Volunteer

Jan is an active 72-year-old retired teacher and a volunteer with church and senior groups. She frequently uses her reusable grocery bags to make purchases for her church and for older adults needing assistance with food shopping.

Hot Van + Dirty Bags = Potential Food Safety Risk

Jan kept a handy collection of reusable bags in the back of her van.  Her concerns were about the bags tearing and getting worn. She never thought about the food safety risks of cross-contamination when she reused her bags.

Jan saw the GRUB (Germ-free Re-Usable Bags) handout at a supermarket exhibit featuring healthy lifestyles. The display included information about keeping grocery bags clean to prevent cross- contamination. The handout information resonated with Jan and her desire to keep the older adults she serves healthy and safe.

Clean Bags- Help Keep Food Safe

Jan now washes her reusable grocery bags after each usGRUB Handoute, ready for the next time she’s out shopping.

Lynn says, “We help people understand simple steps to keep their food safe and be confident they are doing their best for their family and friends”.

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Food Safety Trivia Isn’t Trivial!

Jennifer Jackson of Anne Arundel County Maryland, Department of Aging and Disabilities, shares a BAC Fighter success story from the Older Americans Month Health and Wellness Fair they attended.

jennifer JacksonHer department set up a table on food safety which included Chelsea the Chicken,  a cantaloupe cleaning demonstration, and their Food Safety Trivia Wheel.

An older couple approached their display and spun the Food Safety Trivia Wheel. Jennifer read their trivia question: “During a summer picnic, how long can food be left out before it needs to be refrigerated or thrown away?” The husband answered and said that he thought food could be left out for six hours!

After explaining the correct answer (found on The Partnership for Food Safety Education’s “Chill” handout), he exclaimed, “So, that’s why we all got sick during that trip to the amusement park!”trivia game-cropped

It turns out that he and his family planned a trip to an amusement park and packed a cooler of barbecue chicken to eat for lunch. The chicken was left in the cooler all day and no one checked to make sure that the temperature was kept out of the danger zone. After eating the chicken for lunch, everyone in his group suffered a bout of food poisoning. He and his wife told me that they would make sure they packed food safely in the future!

Jennifer Jackson
Assisted Living Program
Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities
Annapolis, Maryland

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