Food Safe Schools:what‘s it all about?

Presentation Objectives

Participants will gain an understanding of the importance of food safety throughout the school community.

Participants will become aware of and knowledgeable about the concept of “Food Safe Schools.”

How common is foodborne disease?

In the U.S., CDC estimates that foodborne pathogens cause:

76 million illnesses per year

325,000 hospitalizations per year

5,000 deaths per year

Mead, P.S., et al., Food-Related Illness and Death in the United States. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 1999. 5 (5)

National Food Safety Initiative“From Farm to Table”

Goals

Education

Prevention

Seamless food safety net

Improvements in surveillance

Q: Why the focus of food safety in schools?

A: Because children are at an increased risk for foodborne illness!

More reasons for food safety in schools . . .

Approximately 1/3 of the U.S. population attends, works for, or has children in schools.

In 1998, 43% of all food preparation and food service workers were 16-24 years old.

McDonald’s serves 20 million hamburgers a day while U.S. schools serve over 33 million meals.

(ACS, 1998; McFact” on McDonalds.com; US Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPS 1998)

Food Safety in the News...

Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH)

Primary food safety objective is to promote and incorporate food safety into school programs.

www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dash

What is the Food Safe School Initiative?

It’s about utilizing the coordinated school health program approach for ensuring food safety in schools throughout the school community.

Food Safe School Framework

Administration• Develop and support food safety

policies• Develop coordination system• Create a school environment

conducive to food safety practices• Prevent and manage outbreaks

Teachers• Provide food safety instruction• Develop/implement

curriculum• Model appropriate behaviors• Teach student skill-building

Parents/Family• Promote development of school food

safety policies• Advocate for instruction and skill-

building for students• Model appropriate behaviors• Properly prepare food that students

bring to school

Health Services(School Nurse)

• Exchange information with key administrators

• Identify and report foodborne illnesses

• Collaborate to manage outbreaks

• Assist with training

School Food Services• Develop, implement and

enforce food safety procedures

• Exchange information• Support food safety education• Train staff

Students• Wash hands• Practice safe food behaviors• Take food safety messages

home to parents

Cooperative Extension• Communicate with schools and the

health department• Promote food safety policies• Develop food safety curricula and

programs• Assist with training

Health Department• Investigate outbreaks• Routinely inspect facilities• Risk & crisis communication• Send outbreak information to

Federal agencies• Work with schools and cooperative

extension agencies

A Food Safe School

Definition

A school that incorporates food safety education, principles, and practices into everyday operating procedures.

What’s involved?

Collaborating with others to ensure safe food.

Developing a local level multi-disciplinary team.

Evaluating current policies and procedures.

Educating food service personnel, students, teachers, parents, and others in the school community.

Practicing safe food handling, preparation, storage, and eating!

Food Safe School Examples

Food safety policies and procedures in place district-wide.

Food safety training for food service staff and volunteers

Food safety education in the

classroom

Hand washing encouraged by all!

• Multi-disciplinary • Multi-agency

participation

• Resource sharing & dissemination

•Strategic Planning •Collaboration

Improved, seamless support

of Food Safe Schools

Goal of the National Coalition for Food Safe Schools

Now Available! www.FoodSafeSchools.org

One-stop gateway for school food safety information and resources

Links to NCFSS 25+ member organizations’ web sites

Other resources as well as the Web site . . .

California Healthy Kids Resource Center

Healthy Schools... Healthy People, It’s A SNAP! (School Network for Absenteeism Prevention)

Questions?

You can contact Cindy

Schneider, M.P.A., R.D.,

California Department of

Education 916.322.1566

References Buzby, J., Children and Microbial Foodborne Illness. FoodReview,

volume 24, Issue 2, 2001.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Vital health statistics. 1999.

Daniels, N. A., Mackinnon, L., et al. Foodborne disease outbreaks in the United States schools. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal 2002; 21(7): 623-628.

Food-Safe Schools Recommendations 2002. ORC Macro under contract to the Division of Adolescent and School Health, CDC in collaboration with experts from national school and health organizations.

Warner, J., Salmonella Infections Still Rising. Web MD Medical News from Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, CDC, April 2003.

$4.75 million awarded in E. Coli case. Seattle, WA Herald, January 2001.