International Food Safety Council September 1999 * National Food Safety Education MonthSM Sample Letter To Retail Food Establishments

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Encourage retail food establishments to participate in National Food Safety Education Month ^SM by mailing or faxing them this letter. Or, use this information to create a flyer. Before sending:

1. Re-type the letter on your letterhead; use the logo artwork provided in this Guide to add the National Food Safety Education Month logo to your letterhead.
2. Fill in the information in parentheses throughout.
3. Add further information about your National Food Safety Education Month programs and activities.

(Date)

Dear (Owner or Manager):

Like you, (Organization) takes food safety very seriously. We all know that even a single outbreak of foodborne illness can tarnish an establishment's reputation, and in some cases, drive an establishment or company out of business.

September marks the fifth annual National Food Safety Education Month ^SM, created by the International Food Safety Council, a restaurant and foodservice industry coalition dedicated to food safety education. (Organization) will be taking part in this year's observance and we encourage you to do so as well -- by conducting food safety training and awareness programs for your employees -- and by communicating your food safety commitment and expertise to your customers.

According to recent consumer research, the public is more concerned about food safety today than ever before. Adding to their concern is heightened media coverage that focuses on outbreaks of foodborne illness. As a result, there has never been a more important time to focus on food safety education and to communicate your efforts to the public.

The theme of this year's National Food Safety Education Month is "Cook It Safely - It's a Matter of Degrees," which focuses attention on the importance of cooking food to the proper minimum internal temperature. To help you participate, a Training & Promotion Guide is available free of charge on the Council Web site at www.foodsafetycouncil.org. Or, you may purchase a printed copy of the Guide by calling 800/809-6032. (If your organization is distributing photocopies of the Guide directly to retail food establishments, mention here instead.)

As part of National Food Safety Education Month, (Department) is also (add details about any training programs or activities that your organization is sponsoring for retail food establishments or for the public).

Please be sure to fill out and return the feedback form provided in the Training &Promotion Guide by October 15, 1999. Your feedback is important to the continued success of this annual observance. The most innovative ideas will be featured in Best Practices magazine, published by the International Food Safety Council.

Industry, government and consumer organizations are working together to make National Food Safety Education Month a great success. With your involvement, we know that this year's event will be the best ever. If you have any questions or need further information, please call (Department contact) at (phone number).

Sincerely,

(Department contact)
(Title)

 
^TM/SM International Food Safety Council
* Distributed August 1999 for use in September 1999 as part of the International Food Safety Council's National Food Safety Education Month.

National Food Safety Education MonthSM is sponsored by the International Food Safety Council, a restaurant and foodservice industry coalition committed to food safety education, formed by the National Restaurant Association's Educational Foundation. For more information about enrolling in the Council free of charge, call 800/456-0111.