August 26, 1997
Dear Food Safety Educator:
In recognition of September as National Food Safety Education Month, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is making available the enclosed Food Safety Information Kit to encourage you to promote food safety education activities. The goal of National Food Safety Education Month is to focus attention on the importance of safe food preparation, both in restaurant kitchens and at home. As you know, on January 25, 1997, President Clinton announced a new food safety initiative to improve the safety of the nation's food supply. In an effort to help you enhance your food safety education programs, we have compiled some of our more popular materials as well as many new ones for your use. September presents us with an additional challenge. Last fall, there was an outbreak of foodbourne illness associated with the consumption of unpasteurized apple juice. This year, in an effort to reduce the risks, FDA is alerting consumers that children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems should not consume unpasteurized juice or apple cider because of the risk of E. coli O157:H7, a bacterium that can lead to a diarrheal illness and other very serious complications in these population groups. a flyer on this issue is included in the kit. We hope that you will use this information to focus attention on the importance of safe food preparation in preventing foodborne illness. If you have any questions, you may call our FDA Food Information Line at 1-800-322-4010 between the hours of 12:00 noon and 4:00 p.m. (eastern time) each weekday. Thank you for your interest and efforts toward educating the public about food safety.
Sincerely,
Michael A. Friedman, M.D.
Lead Deputy Commissioner
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