New Curriculum Teaches Kids to be Safe or Sorry

Three Minnesota schools have decided to add a dash of humor to a lesson in food safety. "Safe or Sorry," a pilot program which will be tested in family and consumer science classes, attempts to teach kids that safe food is the result of a responsible supply chain ending with proper food preparation.

"Safe or Sorry" uses unique methods to get its point across. A dancing stuffed gorilla helps students time a thorough hand washing. In a make-believe cooking demonstration, a pair of blundering chefs illustrate how not to create a safe meal. A glowing powder trail marks the path of contamination running from a rubber chicken to a cutting board, a knife, a bowl of lettuce, and to the final salad.

Funding for the materials needed to teach the program was provided by the Duluth Clinic Education and Research Foundation. Staff from Carlton County Public Health and College of St. Scholastica are providing consultation and assistance.

"Young people have an especially important role to play in promoting food safety," said Cindy Brown, assistant professor at St. Scholastica. "As much as half of all food-borne disease is the result of improper food-handling practices in the home, and many young people in this age group are actively involved in preparing food for their families."

"We also know that many of these young people will soon be working as food handlers in commercial eating establishments," added Kristi Obrecht, health educator for Carlton County Public Health. "Their knowledge of food safety will have a very direct impact on our ability to protect the public from food-related diseases."

Article From MeatNews.com, a Meat and Poultry Online partner. ©1999-2000 Watt Publishing Co, All Rights Reserved.

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