News article
9 June 2008
Free, Fun Food Safety Resources for Primary Schools
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PRESS RELEASE
To mark this year's Food Safety Week (9-15 June) the Food and Drink Federation
(FDF), in association with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Focus on Food,
have
developed a number of teaching and learning materials for primary schools,
which
are designed to help children learn more about good food hygiene
practices.
Teachers can download free copies of these materials at
www.eatwell.gov.uk/germwatch.
The 'GermWatch' materials reflect the theme of this year's Food Safety Week and
encourage learning about safe food handling through simple food preparation and
cooking in the classroom. The activities incorporate the FSA's Food
Competencies
(diet and health, consumer awareness, cooking and food safety), cooking and the
4
Cs for food safety (cleaning, cooking, chilling and avoiding
cross-contamination).
The materials also link to learning in a range of curriculum areas and can be
adapted by class teachers to suit the age and abilities of their pupils as they
see
fit. These comprise of teacher information; class activities focusing on
cooking
and communication of key aspects of food safety and hygiene; and simple
homework
tasks which relate to the activities.
Melanie Leech, Food and Drink Federation Director General said:
"Food safety is the number one priority for the food and drink manufacturing
industry and we believe it's also important for consumers to understand food
safety in the home. The primary school GermWatch materials complement the
information
we already have on our food safety website foodlink.org.uk. We hope both
these
resources will help teachers to ensure that food safety is a top priority
for their
school, and help pupils learn about it in a fun and practical way."
FDF's foodlink website has a range of tips and advice on food safety, plus free resources for
schools, including downloadable factfiles on food poisoning, hygiene, food
storage and preparation; puzzles and quizzes; and an image bank.
More Information
For more information please contact:
Notes for Editors
- The Food and Drink Federation is the voice of the UK food and drink
manufacturing industry, the largest manufacturing sector in the country. FDF's
membership
comprises manufacturers of all sizes as well as trade associations and groups
dealing with specific sectors of the industry. FDF led on Food Safety Week
until
2007
and is now a key partner of the Food Standards Agency as it takes this
forward.
- The GermWatch primary school teaching and learning materials were written by the
Focus on Food Campaign team. Focus on Food is the UK's leading cooking
education
outreach programme. It raises the profile and importance of food education to
help secure, sustain and strengthen the status of food in primary and secondary
schools, and school communities, nationally. The Campaign focuses on the making
and
cooking of food as the key experience in learning about the social
importance and
health benefits of food. It delivers cooking teaching and teacher
training to
schools via its flagship mobile teaching kitchen/classrooms, the
Cooking
Buses. For
more information visit www.focusonfood.org.
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