Partnership for Food Safety Education

PFSE Board Members Recognized Among Top Food Safety Professionals

Shawnte Loeri — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 19:34:57 +0000

The Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness has announced its list of the Top 40 Food Safety Professionals Under 40, spotlighting young leaders making significant contributions to the field of food safety. Among this year’s honorees are PFSE board members Ashley Eisenbeiser of FMI – The Food Industry Association and H. Lester Schonberger, Ph.D. of Virginia Tech/Virginia Cooperative Extension.

Launched in 2023, this annual recognition celebrates rising stars who are transforming the landscape of food safety and leaving an enduring impact on the industry, academia, and regulatory bodies. The honorees represent a diverse range of professionals from various sectors, including nonprofit, industry, regulatory agencies, journalism, independent consulting, and academia, all united by their dedication to enhancing food safety.

Ashley Eisenbeiser serves as senior director of food and product safety programs at FMI – The Food Industry Association. She graduated from Virginia Tech with a B.S. in food science and technology, and earned a master’s degree in food science and technology from Virginia Tech. Ashley was elected as vice chair of the PFSE Board of Directors in October 2024 and has served on the board since 2020.

H. Lester Schonberger is an Associate Extension Specialist at Virginia Tech/Virginia Cooperative Extension. He earned a B.S. and Ph.D. in food science and technology from Virginia Tech. Lester’s work centers on increasing everyone’s ability to access and prepare safe, quality food. He does this by contributing to the Extension component of Virginia Tech’s land-grant mission by leading food safety education programs.

The Alliance’s initiative to honor top food safety professionals younger than 40 aligns with its mission to promote safer food practices and reduce the incidence of foodborne illnesses. When nominating candidates, emphasis is placed on their accomplishments, leadership qualities, and their potential to inspire others and drive positive change within the food safety community.

As the food safety landscape continues to evolve, these young professionals, including Ashley and Lester, are at the forefront of safeguarding public health and ensuring the safety of the global food supply.

View all of the Top 40 Food Safety Professionals Under 40 on the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness’ website.

PFSE Welcomes New Chair, Vice Chair to Board of Directors

Shawnte Loeri — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 15:26:31 +0000

Dr. Barb Masters of Tyson Foods elected as Board Chair, Ashley Eisenbeiser of FMI – The Food Industry Association elected as Vice Chair

The Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE) announced Dr. Barb Masters was elected as its new board chair during the October Board of Directors Meeting. Dr. Masters brings a wealth of experience and passion to the role of board chair. She succeeds Harold Chase of NSF, who served as chair since 2022.

Dr. Masters serves as vice president of regulatory policy, food and agriculture with Tyson Foods, Inc. She has a proven track record in advancing food safety from farm to fork.

Dr. Masters holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Mississippi State University and a Food Animal Internship from Kansas State University. She has served on PFSE’s board since 2020.

“With more people eating at home, combining their meals with prepared and fresh foods for convenience, it’s so important to work across sectors to support information disseminators with science-based resources so they can be effective at influencing food handling behaviors,” said Dr. Masters. “I believe the Partnership is well positioned to provide such leadership.”

Additionally, Ashley Eisenbeiser, senior director of food and product safety programs at FMI – The Food Industry Association, was elected as vice chair of the PFSE Board of Directors. She graduated from Virginia Tech with a B.S. in food science and technology, and earned a master’s degree in food science and technology from Virginia Tech. Eisenbeiser has served on PFSE’s Board since 2020.

As a previous family and consumer sciences extension agent with Virginia Cooperative Extension, Eisenbeiser is particularly passionate about food safety education.

“We will continue leading the way in consumer food safety education, all with one goal: to serve our communities and reduce the risk of foodborne illness,” said Eisenbeiser.

Dr. Masters and Eisenbeiser, alongside the full Board of Directors, are both committed to advancing the mission and expanding the Partnership’s reach to ensure that everyone has access to essential food safety education.

Under the leadership of its Board of Directors, the Partnership spearheaded a Collective Day of Action on Wednesday, Sept. 18, in observance of National Food Safety Education Month. The event united food industry, federal agencies, health, nutrition and food safety educators, garnering more than 150 posts across social media channels and internal communications with an estimated reach of 4 million people in one day.

Thirteen thousand community-based health, nutrition and food safety professionals rely on the Partnership for science-based resources and tools. PFSE has hosted educational webinars and events on topics such as the importance of food safety in nutrition, food safety for older adults, and perceptions of flour risk. Nearly 90 percent of respondents report that they are likely to share the information they learned from these events in their outreach efforts.

The Partnership will host the Consumer Food Safety Education Conference (CFSEC) on March 13-14, 2025, at the Sysco Headquarters in Houston, Texas. The CFSEC is the only conference in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to food safety education. This interactive two-day event will bring together forward-thinking leaders in food safety for dynamic discussions, provide opportunities to network with notable industry professionals, and offer new tools and resources to enhance food safety practices. For more information, visit cfsec.org or contact PFSE at cfsec@fightbac.org.

Visit the PFSE’s website to view the full list of the Board of Directors.

About the Partnership for Food Safety Education
The non-profit Partnership for Food Safety Education is the creator and steward of the popular Fight BAC!® national food safety education campaign and the national leader in disseminating information around the linkage of food safety consumer education with positive health outcomes. Food safety and health educators, and consumers, can download free food safety education information from the Partnership’s website at fightbac.org.

Contact PFSE Communications Associate Shawnte Loeri for more information.

Protect Your Family from Listeria

Shawnte Loeri — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 20:14:26 +0000

Listeria Outbreak Linked to Deli Meats: CDC, USDA and public health officials are investigating a multistate outbreak of Listeriosis infections linked to deli meats as well as packaged meat and poultry products. (as of September 10, 2024)

The CDC estimates that Listeriosis causes about 1,600 illnesses and 260 deaths in the United States each year.

The infection is most likely to sicken pregnant people and their newborns, adults aged 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems. Pregnant people are especially at serious risk, since Listeriosis can cause miscarriages and stillbirths.

Listeria monocytogenes can be found in ready-to-eat foods such as hot dogs, luncheon meats, soft cheeses and unpasteurized milk.

Follow these home food safety tips to protect yourself and loved ones from Listeriosis:

Recalled deli meats

Do not eat recalled meats. Check your refrigerator for any recalled deli meats and throw them away or return them to the store. Listeria can grow on foods kept in the refrigerator.
People at high risk should only eat deli meats bought sliced at deli counters that is reheated to an internal temperature of 165 °F using a food thermometer or until steaming hot.
Clean your refrigerator, containers and surfaces that may have touched recalled meats.

Hot dogs

Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before and after handling raw hot dogs.
Avoid cross-contamination of raw hot dog juices on cooking utensils, food prep surfaces, or other items in the fridge.
Refrigerate hot dogs immediately after purchasing, for up to 2 weeks unopened, or no more than 1 week after opening.
Use an appliance thermometer to make sure your refrigerator is cooled at 40 °F or below.
Cook hot dogs until the internal temperature reaches 165 °F on a digital food thermometer or until steaming hot just before serving.

Home refrigerator

Maintain a home refrigerator at 40 °F or below, which is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of infection by Listeria monocytogenes, the bacteria that cause Listeriosis.
Store hot dogs for up to one week in the refrigerator once the package is opened, and up to two weeks unopened. Make sure the fridge is cooled at 40 °F or below.

Follow the Partnership on Facebook, X/Twitter and LinkedIn for additional food safety advice.

Call for Volunteers: Apply Online Now!

Shawnte Loeri — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 17:35:08 +0000

The Partnership is looking for volunteers to assist with communications and marketing, donor relations, program management and translation.

Ideal candidates have an interest in public health, food safety, strategic planning, and/or marketing and communications. Applicants can be current students, recent graduates or working professionals.

Volunteer Projects

Communications and marketing planning: Create and write a social media and marketing plan
Donor relations: Help manage donor records, donor benefit fulfillment and assist in creating ideas for engaging donors in our mission (You will not be asking people for financial support. This is a behind the scenes role.)
Programming: Manage program data and prepare summary reports
Translation and review: Translate food safety education resources, review for scientific accuracy, identify resources for update and create a directory of resources

Volunteers will work remotely but within a team dynamic with the Partnership’s team. Flexible schedule that can be developed mutually. Must be willing to meet virtually via Zoom or Google to discuss projects (will be arranged beforehand).

Benefits of Volunteering

Contribute to consumer food safety education and helping to keep people healthy.
Learn more about the consumer food safety education sector while adding to your skills with a project you can use as work example.
Opportunity for students or young professionals wanting to develop more experience or anyone looking for a way to give back.

Please send a formal interest letter or email to Britanny Saunier at bsaunier@fightbac.org. Include your interest in the topics above, why this is important to you, anything about your academic or professional background that may apply, and your anticipated availability.

Announcing 2025 Consumer Food Safety Education Conference, Registration Now Open

Shawnte Loeri — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 14:12:50 +0000

Bringing together nutrition, public health and food safety professionals to prevent food-related illnesses at the “fork” end in the chain of prevention.

The Partnership for Food Safety Education will host the Consumer Food Safety Education Conference (CFSEC) on March 13-14, 2025 at the Sysco Headquarters in Houston, Texas.

CFSEC is the only conference in the U.S. dedicated to consumer food safety education, convening research experts, nutrition professionals, and community-based health and food safety educators across the country who educate consumers on how to handle food safely at home.

The 2025 CFSEC will equip health and food safety educators from all sectors with knowledge and tools to prevent foodborne illness at the fork end of the chain of prevention as well as orient educators to national goals such as Healthy People 2030. Public health, nutrition and food safety educators need to be poised to reach consumers with food safety education that is effective at influencing behavior change.

This conference will help advance knowledge in today’s critical health and food safety challenges. Conference attendees can expect sessions on food safety research, programming, and communications, alongside interactive food safety experiences.

This unique conference will be chaired by Charles Leftwich, vice president of food safety and quality assurance at Sysco Corporation and Tara Kelly, instructor in the Department of Nutrition Sciences at The University of Alabama at Birmingham.

CFSEC keynotes and speakers will be announced soon. Attendees will hear from top experts in the health and food safety industry who will provide the latest in food safety education research and practices and facilitate meaningful discussions around prevention of food-related illness among consumers.

Other features of the CFSEC include:

The opportunity to network and collaborate with health and food safety educators from government agencies, nonprofit organizations, higher education and the food industry
Access to tools and resources that address the biggest food safety challenges
Posters exploring the latest research and innovations

Registration is now open! Take advantage of the summer savings rate of $425 through Sept. 2 — a $75 savings off the standard rate or the early bird rate of $450 through Dec. 31 — a $50 savings off the standard rate!

PFSE is accepting abstract submissions on a variety of topics related to food safety, under these four program tracks:

Original Research
Food Safety Programs or Campaigns in Action
Interactive Presentations, Demos and Experiences
Food Safety Education Strategies and Successes (posters only)

Share your professional knowledge, research and experiences for program consideration. Submit your abstracts by Monday, Sept. 2!

For more information, visit cfsec.org or contact PFSE at cfsec@fightbac.org.

About the Partnership for Food Safety Education
The Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE) is a nonprofit, public health organization with a mission to develop and promote effective education programs to reduce foodborne illness risk for consumers. This important work is done through a historically significant cross-sector collaboration with the federal government, food industry, consumer groups, and scientific associations. PFSE supports more than 13,000 nutrition, health and food safety educators with free, science-based safe food handling messages who reach 8.5 million U.S. households each year. Food safety professionals, health educators and consumers can download free food safety education information from the Partnership’s website at fightbac.org.

Meet PFSE Board Member Dr. Barb Masters

Shawnte Loeri — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 16:06:29 +0000

Our board members bring a wealth of experiences and expertise to the Partnership, united by their passion for our mission. It’s our pleasure to introduce them to you.

Dr. Barb Masters, Vice Chair
Vice President of Regulatory Policy, Food & Agriculture
Tyson Foods, Inc.
Connect: LinkedIn

Get to know more PFSE board members.

Hot Dogs with a Side of Chill

Shawnte Loeri — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 15:50:48 +0000

July is National Hot Dog Month and National Hot Dog Day is Wednesday, July 17! This summer, people in the United States will consume millions of hot dogs at family BBQs, restaurants and amusement parks.

What better way to celebrate than by safely preparing and cooking delicious hot dogs!

Hot dogs carry the potential to be contaminated by the dangerous foodborne bacteria, Listeria monocytogenes. If they are not cooked and handled properly, hot dogs can cause Listeriosis, a serious bacterial infection.

The CDC estimates that Listeriosis causes about 1,600 illnesses and 260 deaths in the U.S. annually. The infection is most likely to sicken pregnant women and their newborns, adults aged 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems. Pregnant women are especially at serious risk, since Listeriosis can cause miscarriages and stillbirths.

Here’s how you can enjoy hot dogs and protect yourself from food poisoning this summer:

Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before and after handling raw hot dogs.
Avoid cross-contamination of raw hot dog juices on cooking utensils, food prep surfaces, or other items in the fridge.
Refrigerate hot dogs immediately after purchasing, for up to 2 weeks unopened, or no more than 1 week after opening.
Use an appliance thermometer to make sure your refrigerator is cooled at 40°F or below.
Cook hot dogs until the internal temperature reaches 165 °F on a digital food thermometer or until steaming hot just before serving.

To celebrate National Hot Dog Month, we’ve created three fun, safe recipes for you!

Follow these simple food safety steps and enjoy America’s favorite meal on a bun!

Melanie Safi earned a degree in Health & Nutrition Sciences with a concentration in Foods and Nutrition. She served as PFSE Communications and Marketing Intern in the spring and summer of 2022 as well as Marketing Consultant for the 2023 Consumer Food Safety Education Conference.

Meet Our Board Members

Shawnte Loeri — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 10:28:15 +0000

Our board members bring a wealth of experiences and expertise to the Partnership, united by their passion for our mission. It’s our pleasure to introduce them to you.

Harold Chase, Chairman
Director of Government Affairs
NSF
Connect: LinkedIn

Dan Fone
Vice President, Food Safety, Quality & Sanitation
Dollar Tree
Connect: LinkedIn

H. Lester Schonberger, Ph.D.
Associate Extension Specialist
Virginia Tech/Virginia Cooperative Extension
Connect: LinkedIn

Sharon Mayl, Board Advisor
Partner
DLA Piper
Connect: LinkedIn

Jane DeMarchi
President
North American Millers’ Association
Connect: LinkedIn

Stefanie Evans, Ph.D.
Vice President, Quality & Food Safety Sourcing & Design
Danone North America
Connect: LinkedIn

Celebrating Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Shawnte Loeri — Thu, 30 May 2024 17:16:30 +0000

Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month is a time to acknowledge the outstanding achievements of AANHPI Americans and honor their pivotal role in shaping U.S. history.

We are highlighting some of the culinary contributions of these influential leaders.

Ellison Shoji Onizuka, Joyce Chen & Agha Shahid Ali

Maintain Food Safety While Cutting Food Waste

Shawnte Loeri — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 00:59:53 +0000

Food safety is a major concern for the United States. The federal government estimates that there are about 48 million cases of foodborne illness annually — the equivalent of sickening 1 in 6 Americans each year. And each year these illnesses result in an estimated 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths.

But food waste is also a major concern. According to the federal government, the U.S. leads the world in food waste, with people in America discarding nearly 40 million tons of food every year. That’s worth more than $161 billion and comes to about 219 pounds of waste per person, or 30 to 40 percent of our food supply. Most of this wasted food is sent to landfills where it decomposes and produces methane. Landfills are the third largest source of methane emissions, which are a big factor in climate change because methane is so effective at absorbing the sun’s heat, which warms the atmosphere.

The food industry and consumers are the chief sources of food waste in the United States. Within the food industry, waste occurs at every step — on the farm and with packers, processors, distributors, and retailers. Some of it is the result of economic forces, some of management problems, and some is caused simply by dumping products that are less than perfect in appearance. Several federal agencies are cooperatively working with food industry entities to identify ways of reducing food waste.

For consumers, much food waste results from a misunderstanding of what the various wordings on product date labels mean, along with uncertainty about the storage of perishable foods. Confusion over date labeling accounts for an estimated 20 percent of consumer food waste.

Ways to Avoid Wasting Food

Be aware of how much food you throw away.
Don’t buy more food than can be used before it spoils.
Plan meals and use shopping lists. Think about what you are buying and when it will be eaten. Check the fridge and pantry to avoid buying what you already have.
Avoid impulse and bulk purchases, especially produce and dairy that have a limited shelf life. Promotions encouraging purchases of unusual or bulk products often result in consumers buying foods outside their typical needs or family preferences, and portions — potentially large portions — of these foods may end up in the trash.
Check the temperature setting of your fridge. Use a refrigerator thermometer to be sure the temperature is at 40 °F (4 °C) or below to keep foods safe. The temperature of your freezer should be 0 °F (-18 °C) or below.
Avoid overpacking your fridge. Cold air must circulate around refrigerated foods to keep them properly chilled.
Wipe up spills immediately. It will reduce the growth of Listeria bacteria, which can grow at refrigerator temperatures. Also, cleaning up spills — especially drips from thawing meats — will help prevent cross-contamination, where bacteria from one food spread to another.
Keep it covered! Store refrigerated foods in covered containers or sealed storage bags, and check leftovers daily for spoilage.
Refrigerate peeled or cut produce for freshness and to keep them from going bad.
Use your freezer! Freezing is a great way to store most foods to keep them from going bad until you are ready to eat them. The FDA’s FoodKeeper app has information on how long most common foods can be stored in the freezer.
Check your fridge often to keep track of what you have and what needs to be used. Eat or freeze items before you need to throw them away.
When eating out, become a more mindful eater. If you’re not terribly hungry, request smaller portions. Bring your leftovers home and refrigerate or freeze them within two hours and check the FoodKeeper app to see how long they’ll be safe to eat.
To keep foods safe when entertaining, remember the two-hour rule. Don’t leave perishable foods out at room temperature for more than two hours, unless you’re keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold. If you’re eating outdoors and the temperature is above 90°F (32°C), perishable foods shouldn’t be left out for more than one hour.

Adapted from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s article “Maintain Food Safety While Cutting Food Waste.”

VIDEO: Food Waste & Food Safety at Home