The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation Announces this Year's Theme for National Food Safety Education Month

March 5, 2003

CHICAGO - The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation's (NRAEF) International Food Safety Council (IFSC) urges restaurant and foodservice professionals to plan now to participate in the ninth annual National Food Safety Education Month^SM this September. This year's theme, "Store it. Don't ignore it.," promotes awareness pertaining to storing food safely. Created by the NRAEF's IFSC, this month-long annual campaign focuses on the importance of food safety education for the restaurant and foodservice industry and raises awareness of the industry's commitment to food safety.

"I think this year's theme, 'Store it. Don't ignore it.,' is compelling and will provide the industry with a creative way to keep food safety top of mind," said Mary M. Adolf, president and chief operating officer of the NRAEF. "We all know that a single outbreak of foodborne illness can tarnish an establishment's reputation, and in some cases, drive an operation out of business. It is vital to ensure food safety procedures are done properly and storage is a major component of this process."

"Food safety education is essential to combat foodborne illness," said John Farquharson, FMP, president of the NRAEF's IFSC. "By taking part in National Food Safety Education Month, restaurant and foodservice professionals can spread the word about their commitment to serving safe food to their customers, as well as disseminate best practices throughout the industry."

Each year the NRAEF's IFSC supplies the restaurant and foodservice industry with a Training & Promotion Guide filled with weekly training activities and promotional pieces to help industry professionals take part in this national awareness campaign. Each year highlights one particular area of food safety education. The 2003 NFSEM Web pages, located at www.nraef.org/nfsem/, will contain all the weekly activities and promotional materials in a downloadable format this May.

New this year, the NRAEF's IFSC has created a National Food Safety Education Month logo, which will be available to download at www.nraef.org/nfsem/. This logo can be used by the industry, during the month of September, on fax sheets, menus, promotional materials and other collateral. The eye-catching logo will be used for all future National Food Safety Education Month campaigns.

The NRAEF's IFSC presents National Food Safety Education Month every September. The IFSC was created by the NRAEF in 1993 as an awareness initiative to promote the importance of food safety education to the restaurant and foodservice industry.

For more information on how to get involved in National Food Safety Education Month, contact the NRAEF at (312) 715-1010, ext. 712 or visit the NRAEF's Web site at www.nraef.org/nfsem/ and click on the IFSC's National Food Safety Education Month section to download this year's artwork and Training and Promotional Guides from the past four years.

The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fulfilling the educational mission of the National Restaurant Association. Founded in 1987, the NRAEF strengthens and supports the restaurant and foodservice industry by providing high-quality learning, certification and awareness programs.

The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation's International Food Safety Council is an initiative focused on heightening the awareness of the importance of food safety education. Founding Sponsors: American Egg Board, Campbell's Foodservice, Cattlemen's Beef Board and National Cattlemen's Beef Association (CBB/NCBA), ECOLAB, Inc., FoodHandler Inc., Heinz North America, San Jamar/KatchAll, SYSCO Corporation, Tyson Foods, Inc. Campaign Sponsors: Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, Bunzl Distribution, Inc., Cargill, Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Company, Cooper Instrument Corporation/Atkins Temptec, Daydots, Farquharson Enterprises, Ltd., Johnson Wax Professional, Jones Dairy Farm, Monstanto Company, North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers, Orkin Commercial, Produce Marketing Association (PMA), The Procter & Gamble Company, Unilever Bestfoods North America Foodservice, U.S. Foodservice.