Partnership for Food Safety Education

The Partnership for Food Safety Education is a nonprofit organization with a mission to end illness and death from foodborne infections in the United States. The Partnership uses science-based resources to reach consumers in the U.S. The Partnership is composed of individuals from the food industry, professional societies in food science, nutrition and health consumer groups, the United States Department of Agriculture, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Food and Drug Administration. They serve health and food safety educators nationwide, who refer to themselves as BAC! Fighters.

History

In 1996, a report, “Putting the Food Handling Issue on the Table: the Pressing Need for Food Safety Education”, made the case for cooperation in consumer food safety education. The Partnership for Food Safety Education was formed in 1997 when federal government agencies, industry, and consumer groups signed a Memorandum of Understanding and pledged to work together to develop the first science-based, consumer education program in food safety.^[1] This program, Fight BAC!®, and its four messages of Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill are the main programs for consumer education in safe food handling in the United States.

Original government signatories to the MOU included the Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Agriculture, and Education with responsibilities of the parties as follows:

“The Partnership for Food Safety Education and FDA, CDC, FSIS, CSREES, and ED will work together to develop one overarching theme or slogan akin to “Five a Day” or “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires.” Key educational messages will be channeled through existing networks of each signator and the outlets such as the media; local, state and federal governments; public health offices; consumer-based organizations; and private sector businesses.”

The IRS in 2003 issued a determination letter of the Partnership for Food Safety Education as a nonprofit, 501c3 organization.

In 2010, the Partnership for Food Safety Education underwent an institutional strategic analysis that identified three focus areas for the Partnership. The Partnership supports consumer food safety education in three ways: convening, amplifying, and evaluation.

Fight BAC!

The Partnership for Food Safety Education is the creator of the Fight BAC! campaign. The campaign was created in 1997 as a joint effort between industry and federal government agencies to reach the public on consumer food safety education. Sixteen focus groups in six cities were conducted in the development process of the campaign.

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