Acting on research data that indicates two-thirds of adults turn to the Internet for basic safe food handling information, the Partnership for Food Safety Education today introduces a new evolution of its popular website http://www.fightbac.org.
Building on the national Fight BAC!(R) campaign, the new site contains a wealth of newly designed food safety information to help reduce risk of foodborne illness.
Despite recent declines in outbreaks of several bacterial foodborne diseases, foodborne illness continues to afflict millions of people each year. Experts agree that education is vital to reducing incidence. The Partnership’s national consumer study reveals that much progress has been made increasing awareness of safe food handling practices, but more work remains to be done.
“The Partnership’s website and related materials are widely utilized by consumers, educators, dietitians and public health officials across the
United States,” said Tim Hammonds, Chairman of the Partnership for Food
Safety Education. “Our research shows a direct link between high awareness of safe food handling recommendations and actual proper food handling practices. By improving our online offerings we hope to contribute to increased awareness of proper food handling, ultimately reducing risk of foodborne illness nationwide,” he continued. Fully searchable, the new website is more user- friendly, providing important safe food handling recommendations at a glance and updated downloadable fact sheets, brochures and other materials for consumer and educator use.
The Partnership reminds consumers when handling food to always clean, separate, cook and chill. These messages and educational tools for safe food handling are accessible at http://www.fightbac.org.
The Partnership for Food Safety Education unites industry associations, professional societies in food science, nutrition and health, consumer groups and the United States Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency and from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, to educate the public about safe food handling and preparation. The Partnership, a non-profit organization, is the creator and steward of the Fight BAC!(R) campaign, a food safety education program developed using scientifically based recommendations and resulting from an extensive consumer research process. Fight BAC!(R) materials are fully accessible online at http://www.fightbac.org and utilized by consumers, teachers, dietitians, public health officials and extension agents across the United States.