Be Food Safe – Not Just Words but Actions

USDA developed the national Be Food Safe campaign and resulting toolkit in cooperation with the Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE), FDA, and CDC to promote safe food handling behaviors. Grounded in social marketing, behavior change and risk communications theories, it focuses on the concepts of clean, separate, cook and chill, providing partners with more visually practical campaign and toolkit for use with adults.

As part of a multi-year development program, initial research included a review of literature, and review of media landscape. Two focus groups with 9 consumers evaluated the theoretical framework for the creative concepts. Based on the findings, modification in messaging and campaign materials occurred. Four additional consumer focus groups in two cities with 5-7 participants researched perceptions and attitudes toward the messaging.

In addition to an ongoing process evaluation, a pretest/posttest in-depth interview with an expert panel of 9 and 7 educators occurred in 2007 to evaluate the toolkit materials and gain qualitative data on how the campaign materials are used and shared with consumers. Based on this information the toolkit underwent revisions.

Under a Memorandum of Understanding, USDA and the PFSE are promoting Be Food Safe to consumers, educators in State and local government, CSREES, health professionals, the media, food companies and retailers in order to affect positive behavior change. Approximately 800 educators have the joined the campaign as well as at least thirty retailers representing more than 5,300 individual stores to disseminate Be Food Safe information hence demonstrating the success of the campaign.