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SAFEFOOD NEWS - Winter 2002 - Vol 6, No. 2

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Science And Our Food Supply

The largest public education program aimed at teaching middle and high school students about food safety and careers in food science was announced on October 16, 2001, by the Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA).

Using food to capture students' imaginations, Science and Our Food Supply teaches the scientific principles of all aspects of food safety from the farm to the dinner table, and it introduces students to the wide variety of careers in food science. "One way to prevent illness (foodborne) is to teach today's teens about safe food handling habits they can practice throughout their lives. We found a unique and effective approach: "Teach it through science," said Dr. Bernard Schwetz, Acting Principal Deputy Commissioner of Food and Drugs for the FDA.

Prior to starting work on this project, research was conducted about how to effectively reach teens with important messages about food safety. With home economic classes dwindling in numbers and health classes focused on other topics, results indicated that science class was the most effective way to reach all students.

Science and Our Food Supply introduces middle and high school students to the fundamentals of microbiology while at the same time imparting important public health information. Students learn about bacterial growth and how pathogens pose a risk of causing illness; how practices on the farm, such as safe composting, can lead to safer crops; how food processing technologies, such as ultra-high temperature pasteurization, are leading to new products; and how safe food handling practices in restaurants and at home can reduce foodborne illness.

Offered free to science educators, Science and Our Food Supply has three components designed to provide a variety of learning opportunities for students. Teacher guides, one each for middle level and high school educators, contain 16 hands-on experiments and activities and are presented in five different modules: Understanding Bacteria; Farm, Processing and Transportation; Retail and Home; Outbreak; and Future Technology.

To reinforce the activities and experiments, the program includes a 46-minute video, Dr. X and the Quest for Food Safety, which was recently nominated for an Emmy Award by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The video features a savvy food scientist who leads students on a journey through the food supply chain, exploring behind-the-scenes research in laboratories and profiling scientists in food safety careers. Also included is a Food Safety A to Z Reference Guide with frequently asked questions, fun facts, helpful tips, and more. Science and Our Food Supply can be easily incorporated into biology, life science and other science classes.

Science and Our Food Supply uses an inquiry-based learning approach as set forth by the National Science Education Standards and involves students in hands-on activities based on good scientific methods and laboratory practices. In one experiment, students observe, record and graph bacterial growth in hamburgers that they cook to various temperatures.

To receive a copy of the Science and Our Food Supply Program, teachers are asked to complete a request form on the NSTA Web site at www.nsta.org/professionalinfo. Requests can also be mailed to NSTA, Science and Our Food Supply, 1840 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201-3000, or faxed to (703) 522-5413.

Source: HHS / FDA & NSTA Use Science To Educate Students About Food Safety and Foodborne Illness. FDA Press Release, October 16, 2001.

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Updated Monday, August 29, 2011