On October 18, 2004, the Partnership for Food Safety Education announced a national food safety education campaign focused on safe handling of fresh fruits and vegetables with recommendations built upon the Partnership’s successful FightBAC!® campaign. To facilitate safe produce handling education efforts, the Partnership has enhanced the existing FightBAC!® program offerings with new produce handling educational materials and community outreach ideas. Materials can be downloaded at fightbac.org.
Lester M. Crawford, Acting Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said, “Raising and maintaintaining consumer awareness about how to handle fresh produce safety is an important step in the overall goal of reducing foodborne illness.” The FDA, the agency responsible for regulating the produce industry, supports this effort.
Says Bryan Silbermann, Partnership Board member and president of Produce Marketing Association, “Through the FightBAC® campaign, PMA joins other industry, government, and consumer groups to educate consumers about safe produce handling.”
