September is Food Safety Month
September is Food Safety Month which leads us to consider the implications of food safety throughout the supply chain. For the previous few years the emphasis has been shifting, or perhaps expanding is a better word, toward the farm. We see more education, emphasis and visits being conducted at the farm – both animal and fruit and vegetable. This is good but only 1/2 the battle.
When I first began HACCP training in my plants I would hold up a hot dog and explain – assume I am going to buy this at the store, leave it in my hot car for 8 hours while I visit my boyfriend, drop it on the floor as I remove it from the package and then eat it without heating. If I become ill – who will be called to explain?
While a bit exaggerated that was, and essentially still is, a fact. There is little to no emphasis placed on the consumers ability to keep safe – or render unsafe – the food that they eat. Advocates stress that consumers must be able to buy and eat food with a confidence that it is safe. This is true but the burden is also on them to take steps to keep the food safe.
I think September is a good time to share the FightBAC! information yet again. The earlier and more often we stress the need for education for all the better we as an industry will be.