Keep Your Healthy Food Safe

Laura Astbury, MS, RD

April 30, 2009

Introduction

• Food Safety Facts

• Foodborne Illness in Arizona

• At risk populations

• Food Safety Education Resources– Fight BAC!– Germ City

Food Safety Facts

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that foodborne microorganisms cause 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations and an unknown number of chronic conditions.1

• The CDC estimates that foodborne illness causes 5,000 deaths each year.1

1Retrieved from: http://www.fightbac.org/content/view/13/19/

Food Safety Facts cont.

• USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) estimates that medical costs and losses in productivity resulting from five bacterial foodborne pathogens in 2000 was $6.9 billion.1

1Retrieved from: http://www.fightbac.org/content/view/13/19/

Foodborne Illness in Arizona

• 2,622 reported cases of foodborne illnesses in 2007– 997 salmonella cases– 962 campylobacteriosis cases– 106 E. coli 0157:H7 cases– 12 listeriosis cases

At Risk Populations

• Infants and young children

• Pregnant women

• Older adults

• People with weakened immune systems caused by cancer treatment, diabetes, AIDS, and bone marrow and organ transplants

Fight BAC!

• http://www.fightbac.org/-

• Education materials– Curriculum for kids– Community outreach– Community tips– Foodborne illness information– Seasonal press releases– And much more…

Fight BAC! Cont.

• Grades K-3Information about the Partnership for Food Safety Education's (PFSE) FightBAC! education program for children in grades K-3 from planning to use the program to presenting the program to the story of BAC

• Grades 4-8Your game plan for food safety - experiments, games and activities

• Grades 9-12Directs BAC fighters to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Food Safety program for high school students

“Handwashing is the single most important means of preventing the spreading of infection.” -Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta,GA

Germ City

• Germ City: Clean Hands, Healthy People

• Science-based hand washing program

• Designed for use at fairs, festivals, elementary and middle schools, food service operations, and health care facilities

Germ City

• Products– Science-based curriculum: K-8th grade with

age-appropriate evaluation tools– Germ City unit, CD, set-up guide and posters– Parent newsletter and support materials for

teachers and students– Fair and festival guide and volunteer training

program and a video guide– Marketing materials: pencils, tee shirts,

stickers, clings with steps of handwashing

Germ City

Germ CityOrdering information:

B. Susie CraigWashington State University Extension200 Mill Avenue South, Suite 100Renton, WA 98057Phone: 206.205.3161Email: scraig@wsu.edu

or

Karen A. KerrSales and Marketing DirectorHigh Impact ExhibitsTradeshow Consulting and Exhibit Sales Phone: 360.740.0777Fax: 360.740.0454

Additional Food Safety Resources

• AzNN Food Demonstration Guide

• USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service– Be Food Safe– Thermy– Fight Bac!– Is It Done Yet?– National Food Safety Education Month