September is

National Food Safety Education Month®

2007 Theme:

September is National Food Safety Education Month®, created by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation's International Food Safety Council to heighten awareness of the importance of food safety education throughout the restaurant and foodservice industry.

Celebrating National Food Safety Education Month®

Introduction

In 1994, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation's (NRAEF) International Food Safety Council created National Food Safety Education Month® as an annual campaign to heighten the awareness about the importance of food safety education.

Materials for Restaurant and Food Service Industry

Each year a new theme and training activities are created for the restaurant and foodservice industry to reinforce proper food safety practices and procedures. Materials to support this year's theme, and materials from past years are accessible on the NRAEF web site. In addition, promotional materials are available to help make it easier to spread the word about the importance of food safety education and training during the month of September. The theme for restaurant and food service industry is: Viruses: They're in Your Hands.

Other information related to this year's theme:

Prevention is Key to Avoiding Foodborne Illness Outbreaks (CFSAN)
Food Service Employee Health and Hygiene Matters
More Employee Health and Hand Hygiene (CFSAN)

Materials for Food Safety Educators

September is your opportunity to reinforce proper food safety training and inform everyone that food safety is not an option, but an obligation. Consumers need to know simple steps they can take to prevent foodborne illness.

For consumers, we have modified the theme being used for the restaurant and food service industry to the following more consumer friendly: Foodborne Pathogens: Your Family's Health is in Your Hands.

Planning for 2007 Activities: Foodborne Pathogens: Your Family's Health is in Your Hands

Consumers need to know simple steps they can take to prevent foodborne illness.

Explain: What is foodborne illness? What are pathogens?
Discuss: How pathogens affect your family's health; and, family members who are most vulnerable to foodborne illness (young children, older adults, pregnant women)
Remind consumers of a few simple precautions, Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill are the ways to Be Food Safe.
Then focus on the two viruses: Norovirus and Hepatitis A, two of the most common sources of foodborne illness.
Finally, discuss the most effective way of preventing their spread: Handwashing.
Additional Food Safety Materials

Ideas to Promote National Food Safety Education Month®

Variety is the key. Activities such as food safety fairs, contests, parades, exhibits, workshops, educational fairs, supermarket tours, or educational materials translated into other languages can all help to make this September a celebration of food safety awareness. This Planning Guide is designed to provide you with the tools you can use to plan for National Food Safety Education Month®.

Logos/Artwork

NFSEM® Logo Reproduction Instructions
- Download Logos: JPG (37KB), TIF (6.2 MB), EPS Vector (262KB)

National Food Safety Education Month® logos can be used to develop promotional materials such as balloons, bookmarks, magnets, stickers, T-shirts, aprons, etc.

Poster - Keep Hands Clean! (FSIS)

Games and Activities

The Partnership for Food Safety Education sample materials from two of their educational packages:
- The Family Vacation Game (available in PDF, 1,675 Kb) is from the Fight BAC!® Presenter's Guide for grades K-3.
- The experiments, designed for children in 4th through 6th grades, are from Your Game Plan for Food Safety, a Fight BAC!® Teacher's Activity and Experiment Guide.
  - "Soapy Solutions" (also available in PDF)
  - "There's More Than Meets The Eye" (also available in PDF)
Coloring Book (interactive)
- Wash and dry your hands
- Wash fruit and vegetables

Certificate of Appreciation

Make copies of this certificate (available in PDF) and present it to individuals who have participated in National Food Safety Education Month®. Use it for special recognition of invited guests, public officials, community organizations, and other people you would like to thank.

Feel free to distribute these materials at your events. More information about the Partnership's products is available on the Web site at: www.fightbac.org

National Food Safety Education Month® is sponsored by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation's International Food Safety Council, an initiative focused on heightening the awareness of the importance of food safety education to the restaurant and foodservice industry and supported by many public and private sector organizations.