Providing Safe Food to Consumers
by Barbara Anderson and Patricia Steiner

Problem:
The American food supply is among the safest in the world, yet annually an estimated 6.5 to 33 million people become ill from food borne pathogens, resulting in an estimated 9,000 deaths and estimated cost of $10-33 billion dollars. (From Nutrition: Choices for Health issue statements.) A food borne illness outbreak can cost an establishment not only dollars, but loss of customers, reputation, increased insurance, lawsuits, as well as lowered employee morale.

Most food borne illness can be avoided through safe food-handling practices. Schools and restaurants are mandated to implement sanitation training for food service managers and employees. Training in food safety is essential to any establishment serving food.

Response:
All ISUE Nutrition and Health Field Specialists passed the ServSafe exam to be certified as instructors and are registered with the National Restaurant Association to teach the ServSafe Food Protection Manager course. This eight-hour course has been offered in various locations throughout the state. Barbara Anderson and Patricia Steiner teamed up to offer a training session in Fairfield on April 12th for 27 individuals.

Impact:
A 3-month follow-up evaluation via telephone was conducted with 22 of the 27 participants.

Participants indicated the following improvement in their current practices:

7 watched hand washing practices more closely

3 were more careful in their timing with food

8 paid more attention to temperatures

1 was stricter with employees

4 were more careful when handling meats, watching times and storage

1 indicated he was getting foods into the refrigerator and freezer quicker

Personal benefits to class participants:

a better understanding of food borne illness and how critical it is - 2 responses

definitely a personal benefit - 3

great refresher training - 2

safer handling of food - 1

wonderful training should be 100% mandatory class and state required for all food servers, not just managers - 2

Benefits to the customer/clientele because of ServSafe training of food service personnel:

Sixteen responded that food served was safer for all. Other comments indicated customers received fresher, better quality food, more sanitary practices were used in handling the food and in 5 senior centers the increased knowledge of the staff insured more careful handling practices when it came to food preparation.

Contacts:

Barbara Anderson Family Nutrition and Health Specialist Wapello County Extension Office 101 North Court Ottumwa, Iowa 52501 Phone 641-682-5491; Fax 641- 682-5148 Email bjanders@iastate.edu

Patricia Steiner Nutrition & Health Field Specialist Iowa State University Extension 900 Osborn Street Burlington IA 52601 Phone 319-754-7556; Fax 319-754-6721 Email psteiner@iastate.edu

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