The Food Safety Education Fair (FSEF) is a food safety education program based on the Iowa Restaurant Association Educational Foundation's (IHAEF) program by Iowa State University Extension and IHAEF in 2003. The program was offered free of charge to foodservice personnel and members of the media. As part of the program, a series of food safety booths was created to provide each participant the opportunity to observe a visual demonstration or participate in the hands-on activity focused on a specific food safety topic.

The idea was to provide an alternative educational format to the traditional course by having half of the two hour program utilizing interactive educational booths to emphasize important food safety concepts for foodservice employees. The first hour of the program was a formal presentation by an ISU Extension Specialist who introduced food safety basics including why food safety is important, the prevalence of foodborne disease, and the role of the foodservice employee in serving safe food.

The following objectives were used:

• Participants will be able to demonstrate appropriate practices for:
  • washing hands,
  • cooling food,
  • cleaning and sanitizing food contact surfaces,
  • properly take food temperatures with calibrated food thermometers, and
  • storing and rotating food.
• Provide opportunities for the media and consumers to see how foodservice operators and personnel are educated on safe food handling practices.

During the second hour of the program, we are developing 7 booths for the following topics:

1. Handwashing
2. Proper Storage of Food
3. Cooling
4. Thermometer Usage
5. Cross Contamination
6. Cleaning and Sanitizing
7. Taking Food Temperatures

Download all of the booth descriptions: Food Safety Education Fair handout (2.8 MB )

Each booth will have a hands-on demonstration and/or activity. Participants will be broken into small groups and participate in each one of the booths. After going through all the booths, participants will be given the certificate of completion.

2004 Food Safety Education Fairs were held in the following locations:

Sioux City, Iowa - September 13
The Annex at Lewis Bowl and Sports Bar
3828 Stadium Drive - Map it

Davenport, Iowa - September 20
Best Western Steeplegate
100 W. 76th Street - Map it

For more information about the Food Safety Education Fair, contact Catherine Strohbehn, PhD, RD, CFSP (cstrohbehn@iastate.edu).

Last revised: August 31, 2006