Approaches to food safety education among critical groups

Because everyone serves as a stakeholder in food safety, food safety education is important and must be addressed. Because children are impressionable, it is imperative that food safety education be addressed at the K-12 level. As children learn the basics of food safety, they will continue to establish safe food-handling and preparation practices as they mature. Recognizing that the numbers of non-English-speaking laborers employed in the meatpacking and food-manufacturing industries will continue to grow, it is evident that these individuals must learn safe food-handling behaviors and methods. Although food processors continue to develop and improve methods of safe food production, proper food-handling techniques can be difficult to teach to individuals when native language is not used, such as Spanish-speaking laborers in an English-speaking work environment. This chapter will address approaches to teaching food safety to different audiences. Special attention will be devoted to the following audiences: K-12 school systems, non-English-speaking laborers and community groups, food volunteer workers, and mom bloggers.