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April 21, 2004
C-FAR Research Initiative Reducing Foodborne Illness in Illinois
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that foodborne
diseases cause approximately 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations,
and 5,000 deaths in the United States each year--and Illinois has ranked
among the top three states in the number of foodborne illness outbreaks.
In 1999, industry leaders from Illinois' food, agricultural, and related
sectors who were members of the Illinois Council on Food and Agricultural
Research (C-FAR) felt more could be done to protect the families of Illinois
from these often preventable illnesses. C-FAR established a five-year
food safety strategic research initiative (FS-SRI) that focused on decreasing
foodborne illnesses by promoting food safety strategies from farm to family.
Coming to a close in June 2003, this targeted, collaborative research
and outreach effort has made great headway in helping to reduce the incidences
of foodborne illnesses in Illinois.
The FS-SRI, funded through C-FAR's Strategic Research Initiative (SRI)
Program, focused efforts in three general areas: (1) pathogen detection
and epidemiology; (2) the development and implementation of HACCP (hazard
analysis critical control point) programs; and (3) food safety education
and outreach to reach consumers, producers, veterinarians, the food processing
industry, and medical personnel. Research teams at the University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Southern
Illinois University Medical School in Springfield, Springfield Department
of Public Health, Western Illinois University, and the Illinois Institute
of Technology collaborated on the project. Researchers worked closely
with the C-FAR human nutrition and food safety working group and an advisory
committee comprised of representatives from the Illinois Department of
Public Health, Illinois Department of Agriculture, USDA Economic Research
Service, and National Restaurant Association.
"Food safety efforts must address issues from production through
issues surrounding food served to the family. This food safety effort
within C-FAR was only the beginning of helping Universities, and the Departments
of Health and Agriculture work together. The continuing efforts of both
agriculture and public health in the state of Illinois will reduce foodborne
illnesses," said Dr. Jeannette Endres, professor of food and nutrition
at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and FS-SRI leader.
Throughout Illinois, people of all ages are learning how to better protect
themselves from foodborne illness and are benefiting from the research
developments and outreach efforts of the FS-SRI. Highlights resulting
from this special initiative include:
- Food safety education reached millions of Illinois citizens through
distributed videos, curriculum guides and modules, public service announcements,
media kits, and websites. Public service announcements aired on NBC,
CBS, RFD-TV, PRIMESTAR, and DISH Network 9406 (over 10,000,000 viewers).
- Food safety curriculums for kindergarten though high school students
were developed and distributed with Illinois State Board of Education
endorsement. Over 400 teachers and 53,000 students in more than 1,400
classrooms in Illinois participated in special food safety curriculums
and programs that taught food safety concepts. The National Environmental
Health Association and the Wisconsin, Minnesota, and California Public
Health Departments are reviewing the food safety curriculum modules
for endorsement.
- Model HACCP plans and training kits have been developed for use both
on the farm and in food service facilities. Approximately 1,000 foodservice
professionals have been trained on HACCP, including frontline food handlers,
foodservice managers, grocery store managers, local public health department
inspectors, food safety instructors, and college students seeking food
service-related careers.
- A non-thermal microbial inactivation technique using high pressure
processing is now available commercially for guacamole and oysters.
The process continues to be investigated for use with other foods.
- A rapid acting Salmonella test was developed and is now being produced
commercially.
- A nationally accepted model for the application of antibiotics in
swine is being used to fine-tune the use of antibiotics and protect
consumers.
- Medical schools have incorporated food safety education into second
year curriculums. Future physicians are increasing their knowledge on
how to diagnosis, treat, and report foodborne illnesses.
An interactive, touch screen food safety kiosk was developed by the research
team and displayed at various public events throughout Illinois to educate
both children and adults on a variety of food safety issues, including
the importance of hand washing, safe food preparation practices, and how
to properly handle leftovers. The kiosk received recognition by winning
a 2001 international Global Award, which honors the best in healthcare
communications worldwide.
"There has been a great need to address food handling practices
due to the danger foodborne illness poses--especially to the very young,
immuno-compromised, and elderly," said Karen Little, a registered
dietitian and member of the C-FAR Board of Directors. "The food safety
SRI has benefited all Illinois citizens by improving food safety through
training, education, technological advances, and raising the awareness
of its importance."
Funding for the FS-SRI was provided by the State of Illinois through
C-FAR. The C-FAR SRI Program was established in fiscal year 1999 to implement
a targeted, multidisciplinary, and multi-institutional team approach to
addressing major concerns and opportunities for Illinois' food, agriculture,
and related industries and consumers.
For more information on the FS-SRI, please contact the C-FAR office at
217.244.4232 or cfar@aces.uiuc.edu. A project report is available on the
C-FAR website at www.ilcfar.org/research/fs-fp.pdf.
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