DATE:     9/17/99   
CONTACT:  Dr. Katherine Cason, (864) 656-5722
WRITER:   Giles Singleton, (864) 656-3876

Clemson Teaches Food Safety to S.C. Kids

     CLEMSON -- A bacteria monster named "BAC" tries several ways
to get into food in the home kitchen on a food safety CD-ROM
developed by Clemson University.
     All elementary schools in the state have received the
animated, interactive CD-ROMs in food safety kits, which are part
of a two-state effort to teach food safety for the home. In South
Carolina, 576 elementary schools received the "Super Fruit
Friends Help You Fight BAC!" kits. In addition, 700 elementary
schools in Georgia and 170 Kroger stores in the two states
received kits. 
     The theme of the campaign is "Practice Good Food Safety:
Have You Checked with Your Kids Today? They Can Tell You How to
Fight BAC!" Quick lesson plans for teachers, a poster, handouts
and supplementary materials are also included. Target audiences
are school-aged children, older adults and people with weakened
immune systems.
     Clemson University's Learning, Innovation, Networking,
Celebration (LINC) program contributed $12,000 to the project.
Kroger matched these funds, and the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) contributed $5,000. The LINC program targets
limited-resource audiences including preschool and elementary
aged children and their parents; pregnant and parenting
adolescents; the elderly and under-served communities and public
housing developments.
     As a part of the campaign, 55 nutrition educators in 36 of
the 46 Clemson University Cooperative Extension offices in S.C.
are offering food safety education activities related to the
campaign. In addition, other food safety and nutrition events and
activities have been scheduled in South Carolina and Georgia.
     On September 29, at the Kroger store on Two Notch Road in
Columbia, the "Fight BAC!" character will make a personal
appearance, as well as the "BAC" puppet and chefs demonstrating
safe food handling practices. Food safety games will be available
for children.
     Partners include Clemson University, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, the Atlanta office of the FDA, the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Education,
the Kroger Co., the Georgia Department of Human Resources Office
of Nutrition, New Birth Baptist  Church and the Awaken Palate
restaurant.
     "Once consumers bring food into their homes, they are
responsible for food safety," said Katherine Cason, the Extension 
nutrition specialist who administers the LINC program. Cason is
also a professor in Clemson's department of Food Science and
Human Nutrition.
                         END