Lori H. French
Food & Nutrition Service, USDA
September 2002
(photo of foodservice worker preparing vegetables) USDA recognizes that foodservice professionals play a significant role in ensuring food safety. For that reason, USDA conducts numerous programs to educate these individuals on proper handling and cooking of foods served in the Child Nutrition Programs.
(logos of USDA and National Food Service Management Institute)
The Food & Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Food Service Management Institute at the University of Mississippi work together to provide food safety materials and training opportunities for schools and child care centers participating in the Federal Child Nutrition Programs.
To expand the Fight Bac!® and Thermy™ consumer campaigns created to reduce the incidence of foodborne illness, the Food and Nutrition Service has adapted the campaign messages for Child Nutrition Programs.
(photo of pocket card) More than 700,000 copies of the Fight Bac! Laminated pocket card have been distributed to Child Nutrition Programs. This card, available in English and Spanish, contains basic safe-food preparation information including washing hands and utensils, preventing cross-contamination, cooking to safe internal temperatures and storing foods at proper temperatures. The card can be used as a training tool and as a daily reminder of basic safe-food preparation techniques.
(picture of poster) The Schools Fight Bac! poster contains the four Fight Bac! food safety messages on one side and photo reproducible materials and activities for students, teachers, parents and foodservice managers on the other side. It is currently available in English and will soon be available in Spanish.
(picture of poster) A similar poster was developed for Child Care Centers. It also contains the four Fight Bac! food safety messages on the front and photo reproducible materials and activities for young children and their teachers and parents on the other side. The poster is currently available in English and will soon be available in Spanish.
(pictured) The Thermy pocket card, which is adapted from the USDA, Food Safety and Inspection Service Thermy consumer campaign was designed to introduce Thermy to school foodservice managers and to encourage the use of thermometers in school foodservice, while placing an emphasis on avoiding the temperature “danger zone.” This pocket card is currently available in English and will soon be available in Spanish.
(picture of foodservice magnet/poster) Last year we introduced Thermy to school foodservice with the Thermy Pocket Card. This soon-to-be-released poster and magnet use Thermy to encourage cooking foods to proper internal temperatures and introduces the FDA Model Food Code. They will soon be available in both English and Spanish.
(picture of kit) First distributed in 1996, Serving it Safe: A Manager’s Tool Kit was developed using the 1993 FDA Food Code. It was then updated to include the 1999 FDA Food Code. This publication is currently being revised by the National Food Service Management Institute, to concur with the 2001 FDA Food Code.
The American School Food Service Association (ASFSA) uses Serving It Safe: A Manager’s Tool Kit to satisfy the food safety component of their certified specialized training program.
(pictured) The Manager’s Self-Inspection Checklist includes check points that correspond to Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) principles and was taken directly from Serving It Safe: A Manager’s Tool Kit. It is meant to be used once a week to determine areas requiring sanitation corrective action. It addresses issues such as personal hygiene, food storage, foodservice equipment, food handling, utensils, cleaning and pest control.
(picture of USDA Biosecurity Flyer) In response to the 9/11 attack on America, USDA has developed the ABCs for Preventing or Responding to Threats to Our Food Supply poster and one-page flyer. These include common-sense recommendations for school and child care center meal providers that offer simple suggestions to help keep America’s food safe. Both publications will be distributed this Fall.
A more comprehensive publication, Security Guidelines for School Foodservice, is being written to assist school foodservice operations in identifying ways to strengthen their foodservice bio-security.
This publication is being reviewed by a team of volunteers from several key food safety groups including other government agencies, professional health and foodservice associations, HACCP Instructors, and local health inspectors. This publication should be ready for distribution in early 2003.
(logo) National Food Service Management Institute
As mentioned earlier, the National Food Service Management Institute at the University of Mississippi works in cooperation with FNS to develop food safety materials and provide training for schools and child care centers.
(picture of videocassette) In August 1999, NFSMI held a teleconference on basic safe food preparation for front-line foodservice staff. This teleconference, now available in a 2-hour videotape, addresses issues related to food safety and the prevention of foodborne illness including identifying food safety hazards, avoiding cross-contamination, personal hygiene, and hand washing.
(graphic - people meeting around a conference table) In January 2000, NFSMI held a teleconference that covered how the HACCP principles could be applied to a school foodservice setting. The information from this teleconference is also available on a 2-hour videotape.
(cover of HACCP for the Child Nutrition Programs booklet) NFSMI then developed a national network of food safety/HACCP instructors and training materials. The materials include an instructors manual, a participant manual, school foodservice staff materials and a video to teach the HACCP process and the development of a HACCP plan for the foodservice operation.
(recipe card pictured) The HACCP principles have been added to USDA’s Quantity Foods Recipes for Schools. The recipes are currently available on the Internet. HACCP principles will also be included in the Child Care recipes.
(pictured) Schools have received a set of 14 colorful, laminated 8-1/2” x 11” mini-posters printed in English on one side and Spanish on the other side. The mini-posters address food safety topics including hand washing, personal appearance and hygiene, storage, temperatures, and preparation. The posters were designed for use in the food preparation and service areas.
(pictured) Child care centers received a set of ten colorful 8-1/2” x 11” laminated mini-posters. The posters are printed in English on one side and Spanish on the other side. The poster topics include hand washing; meat, poultry and fish safety; preventing cross-contamination; grocery shopping tips; safe handling of baby food; breast milk; bottle feeding; diaper changing tips; and safe temperature for foods.
(pictured) This colorful 17” x 22” laminated Child Care Tips poster was developed for use in child care homes and centers. The poster is printed in English on one side and Spanish on the other side. Poster topics include hand washing; meat, poultry and fish safety; preventing cross-contamination; grocery shopping; baby food; breast milk; bottle feeding; and diaper changing. Magnetic strips are included for easy display in convenient locations.
(Cover of Responding to a Food Recall) On August 21, 2002, in an interactive teleconference for Child Nutrition and foodservice professionals, the NFSMI unveiled its latest food safety resource, Responding to a Food Recall. This publication, which will be available free to all school food authorities, contains food recall reference guides, leader guides and brochures.