New Consumer Education Campaign Seeks to Decrease Foodborne Illness
November 26, 1998
Ottawa, November 26, 1998 - A unique coalition of Canada’s food industries, consumer and health groups, and government today launched a new, national public awareness campaign on food safety in the home kitchen.
The Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education, a coalition of 48 of Canada’s major stakeholders in the food sector, unveiled the FightBAC!TM campaign at events in five cities across the country; Ottawa, Halifax, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.
FightBAC!TM stands for "fight foodborne bacteria". The campaign seeks to motivate Canadians to fight harmful bacteria by practising critical safety steps when preparing food in their homes.
"FightBAC!TM is the most ambitious and far-reaching consumer food safety awareness campaign ever undertaken in Canada," said Lyle Vanclief, Minister, Agriculture and Agri-Food.
"The size and breadth of this coalition is indeed rare and impressive," said Murray Calder, Member of Parliament, Dufferin-Peel-Wellington-Grey, who represented the Minister at the national campaign launch in Ottawa. "We are collaborating because we share a common goal - to help prevent foodborne illness among Canadians by increasing consumer food safety awareness."
Microbial foodborne illness, commonly known as food poisoning, is the largest class of emerging infectious diseases in Canada.
"Health ministries and health organizations believe strongly in this campaign because we know that this is a serious public health issue," said Dr. Colin D’Cunha, Chief Medical Officer of Health for Ontario. "Foodborne illness takes a medical and an economic toll on Canadians, and we know we must tackle this problem."
Research shows that improper food handling in the home causes a major proportion of foodborne illnesses. Yet, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s 1998 study on safe food handling found that consumers are often unaware or misinformed about all they can do to protect themselves from harmful foodborne bacteria.
"Techniques to minimize harmful bacteria on food must be employed at all stages, from the farm to the home," said Edouard Asnong, President of the Canadian Pork Council. "As industry, our mandate is to deliver safe food to the consumer but we can not do this alone. Missing in our endeavours to date, has been a concerted, national campaign to truly engage the consumer in our safe food mission."
The new public awareness campaign seeks to involve consumers in the shared responsibility of food safety. "The FightBAC!TM campaign we are launching today is designed to engage the consumer in the "gate-to-plate" line of defence against harmful foodborne bacteria. The consumer provides the vital, final step in the achievement of safe food," said Nick Jennery, President of the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors.
The initial goal of the campaign is to convey to consumers, four key principles of food safety: Clean: Wash hands and surfaces often; Separate: Don’t cross-contaminate; Cook: Cook to proper temperatures and Chill: Refrigerate promptly.
The campaign introduces the graphic character BAC!TM, a visual depiction of harmful bacteria and includes logos featuring BAC!TM and the four safety messages. The information will be distributed through public health units, public service announcements on radio and television and printed materials and displays in supermarkets, food fairs and trade shows, community centres, seniors’ residences and schools.
As well, the Partnership is officially launching its new Web site, www.canfightbac.org, where Canadians can learn the latest information about preventing foodborne illness.
"We want to send a clear message to consumers: You can take action to help ensure the food you eat and offer to your family is safe," said Suzanne Hendricks, Chair of the National Institute of Nutrition. "Canadians can become wiser and healthier consumers by practising the messages of FightBAC!TM
For more information:
Leanne Byers
Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education
613-225-2342, ext. 4126
Kathie Lynas
Hill and Knowlton
613-786-9952