Food Safety

Food Safety and Food Security
What Consumers Need to Know is designed to help educate consumers regarding food safety. The 15-page brochure is available in English or Spanish. It was produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service. The brochure offers useful tips for safe food preparation and for keeping foods safe from contamination. For more information, call (888) 674-6854.

A Great Mix - Science and Food
Science and the Food Supply is a curriculum program for middle and high schools produced in 2002 by the Food and Drug Administration in collaboration with the National Science Teachers Association. The package is free to science teachers. For information, go to: http://www.foodsafety.gov/~fsg/teach.html.

Become a Food Detective
New Mexico State University, in conjunction with the University of Virginia and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has created a "fun-packed" site to help teach children about food safety and bacteria. Go here to see how you can become a food detective

The Food Safety Training and Education Alliance works to improve access to food safety education and training for foodservice providers. Its Web site provides various resources, including training manuals, graphics, interviews with experts, and copies of rules and regulations. Go here to learn more about the organization.

The Partnership for Food Safety Education Web site has a special section for educators. It includes food safety fact sheets, information on creating a seasonal food safety education campaign, a community action kit, a public service announcement, and a copy of BACTALK, the group's newsletter. The U.S. Poultry & Egg Association is a member of the partnership. Go here to learn more about the organization.

The Food Safety Educator, produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, is a free newsletter that deals with food safety issues. To order a subscription, send an to FSIS outreach.

The American Society for Microbiology site is divided into two areas: Stalking the Mysterious Microbe for elementary students and the Microbial Literacy Collaborative for older students and science teachers.

To Your Health! Food Safety for Seniors, includes a 14-minute video and a 17-page four-color publication printed in 14-point type. The brochure and the video explain why seniors may be more susceptible to foodborne illness and how to prevent illness. Both cover safe food handling at home and when eating out. To obtain a copy of the publication, go to www.foodsafety.gov , select "consumer advice," and then choose "seniors." The food safety program was developed by the Food Safety and Inspection Service and the Food and Drug Administration.

The Federation of Animal Science Societies offers FASS Facts on Biotech Crops: Impact on Meat, Milk and Eggs. The brochure was created to share science-based information with those interested in food animal and crop production. The brochure is available on the FASS Web site.

The American Museum of Natural History sponsors Infection Detection Protection. This site, specifically geared to children, includes general information on microbes and a "Bacteria in the Cafeteria" section.

Cooking for Groups: A Volunteer's Guide to Food Safety provides safe food handling information for volunteer cooks. The 40-page publication targets information to cooking facilities that frequently aren't covered by the same food codes that apply to commercial food service. It can be downloaded from the Food Safety and Inspection Service Web site.

Playing it Safe With Eggs: What Consumers Need to Know explains the new "Safe Handling Instructions" now found on egg cartons. The brochure provides food safety tips for buying, handling, serving, and storing eggs. Educators and consumers can request up to 100 copies of the brochure by calling (800) 332-4010.

Safe Food for the Hungry is a newsletter and Web site for staff and volunteers of emergency feeding programs. Every issue has a "recipe" section that focuses on safe use of federally donated foods. For more information, access the Purdue Extension Web site.

Poultry

The Meat and Poultry Communications Alliance has developed a Web site that offers meat and poultry nutrition information. The site includes sections on dietary fat, protein, weight loss and portion size, a recipe section, frequently asked questions, and a list of third-party experts. It is located at www.meatpoultrynutrition.org.

The following resources are available from the Delmarva Poultry Industry:

Chicken: From the Egg to Your Table is a teacher resource manual that includes information and activities for use in Pre-K to third grade. Word searches, coloring sheets, and math and language activities will help students better understand how chicken goes from the egg to the table. The first copy is free for teachers.

Thinking Chicken is a 11-minute video designed to help fourth grade students gain an increased awareness of chicken, its production, and its importance to the Delmarva peninsula. The video and accompanying teacher resource packet are available to teachers in grades 3-5 for a cost of $12 each. It is available at no charge to teachers in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.

Chicken: Delmarva's Indispensable Industry is a 13-minute video intended for use with adult, general public audiences. The video provides viewers with insight into the economics and importance of Delmarva's chicken industry and highlights positive ways in which the chicken industry works to protect the environment. Copies are available for $10 each.

Send your request and payment when required to: Delmarva Poultry Industry, 16686 County Seat Highway, Georgetown, Del. 19947-4881. Please include the name of your school and the grade taught.

Poultry and Shell Egg Grading Programs (7-12) is available from the Agricultural Marketing Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It contains brochures and fact sheets about quality grading and the grade shield for teachers, a poster for classroom display, and four reproducible lesson plans about purchasing and safe handling. A single kit is free. For more information call (202) 720-3506 or fax (202) 690-0941.

The Arkansas Egg Council produces the Egg Council Activity Book (K-3) and Ag in the Classroom (4-9). Arkansas residents can obtain a free copy. The council is located at P.O. Box 8505, Little Rock, AR 72205.