Iowa State University Extension

Problem:
Iowa consumers are very concerned about safe food when eating out. Since most food-borne illness can be avoided through safe food-handling practices, training in food safety is essential to any establishment serving food. Safer food leads to healthier families, a healthier workforce and less absenteeism due to food borne illness, and, ultimately, to lower health care costs. Schools, nursing homes, hospitals and other institutions hire staff with little or no food safety experience who need very basic food safety training as they work under the direction of food service managers.

Response:
ISUE Nutrition and Health Field Specialists Barbara Anderson and Patricia Steiner are certified instructors with the National Restaurant Association to teach the ServSafe® Food Protection Manager course. Recent requests for a less costly and shorter training for employees who are not managers prompted them to offer a three-hour SafeFood course, developed by Iowa State University Extension and the National Restaurant Association. With the partnership of Ft Madison Community Hospital, two courses were offered in February and March, 2008, in Ft Madison. This three-hour non-certification option provides basic food safety training at a lower cost to employers. A safer food environment for children, elderly, and the ill can be expected since all 33 participants prepare food for these three populations, which are most at risk for food borne illnesses. Thirteen work in a hospital setting; 11 with children at schools or daycare centers; and nine with elderly populations in nursing homes.

Impact:
All 33 participants responded to a post-meeting evaluation and strongly agreed or simply agreed that:

•How they handle food relates to food safety.
•Safe food handling is an important part of their job responsibilities.
•They are responsible for making sure that the foods served to residents are safe to eat.
•Training in food safety helps a foodservice employee prepare and serve safe food to residents.

Most were able to correctly answer most of the questions which were key points of the training. As a result of the training, they indicated there were additional items of equipment they would recommend that their establishment purchase to improve food safety. When asked what ideas learned in the program they plan to implement, more than one third plan to practice and encourage more thorough hand washing. They plan to use and calibrate thermometers more often to check safe cooking of foods and follow safer practices for cooling foods. Some also indicated they would improve sanitation practices. Written comments about the course included a suggestion that everyone review (food safety practices) by taking this course. One wrote: “Kept me interested: not bored at all!

Additional ISUE Staff:
Barbara Anderson, Nutrition & Health Field Specialist, bjanders@iastate.edu

Additional Team Members/Community Partners:
Ft Madison Community Hospital

Contact:
Patricia Steiner
900 Osborn Street
Burlington, IA 52601
319-754-7556
psteiner@iastate.edu