Food Safety Month

 Food Safety Education Month Proclaimed in Fairfax County

-- Watch County's "Be Food Safe" Cooking Show
Targeted to All Who Cook at Home --

September 10, 2007

The Health Department’s efforts to protect residents from food-borne illness will be showcased this month in Fairfax County. National Food Safety Education Month, recognized annually in September, was proclaimed today by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

New this year is a food safety cooking show, "Be Food Safe," targeted to anyone who prepares meals in their home. Produced by Fairfax County Cable Channel 16, the 25-minute show features a hostess who demonstrates how to cook chicken cordon bleu, balsamic glazed vegetables, mashed redskin potatoes, and ginger-peach ice cream sandwich cookies. Important food safety tips are incorporated throughout.

The show currently airs on the county's Channel 16 and can also be seen by Web videostream. To view the broadcast schedule or the videostream, visit the Channel 16 Focus on Health web page. All recipes featured in the show are available on the Health Department’s Food Safety Be Food Safe Web page.

National Food Safety Education Month is a national observance sponsored by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. This year’s theme, “Viruses: They’re in Your Hands,” focuses on the importance of hand washing to prevent food-borne illnesses.

To underscore this year’s theme, the Health Department’s Food Safety Section will continue to promote the “Be Food Safe” cooking show; and provide educational materials to residents via displays at the Fairfax County Government Center in Fairfax, the Health Department Administrative Building in Fairfax City, and in Fairfax County public libraries. They also will exhibit at the Sept. 29 “Fall for Fairfax!” event at the Fairfax County Government Center in Fairfax.

Food safety educational materials available include brochures, hand washing instruction signs to display in restrooms and hand wash stations, and materials for children.

The Health Department’s food safety inspectors perform more than 10,000 inspections a year to ensure restaurants and other facilities are preparing and serving safe food for everyone in Fairfax County. This includes approximately 2,850 restaurants, 330 public and private schools, 69 child care facilities, as well as 925 temporary food stands at fairs and festivals throughout the year.

One of the most important ingredients in food safety is clean hands. Hand washing is the simplest action everyone can take to help prevent the spread of disease. The Health Department aggressively teaches hand washing to food workers in restaurants, day-care facilities, as well as in schools and health fairs. “Your Health is in Your Hands: WASH” is an ongoing public campaign to prevent illness. For more information, visit the Health Department Food Safety Web page or call 703-246-2444, TTY 703-591-6435.

All Virginia food safety inspection reports appear online at www.healthspace.ca/vdh. Parents and children can find food safety activity resources (coloring books, etc.) for children online at FDA's For Kids, Teens, & Educators web page.