Beginning August 26, 2024, the National Restaurant Association and ServSafe will provide in-depth educational content on the science of foodborne illness, tips for preventing an outbreak, key strategies for developing an outbreak response plan, and other topics important to food service and food retail establishments for National Food Safety Education Month (NFSEM). Held each September in the United States, NFSEM was created in 1994 by the National Restaurant Association to raise awareness of the importance of food safety education.
Content provided during NFSEM is delivered through the Always Ready: Foodborne Illness Outbreak Preparedness Guide, which covers key business practices for preventing foodborne illness and responding if an incident occurs. Information provided in the guide comes from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Council to Improve Foodborne Outbreak Response, ServSafe, and crisis communications experts. The guide also includes tips from food safety experts and human resources leaders from independent restaurants and national brands.
Topics covered in the manual include:
- The most common causes of foodborne illnesses and the most important prevention measures
- How to handle a complaint about foodborne illness
- How to work with government and health authorities to identify and resolve the root cause of a foodborne illness outbreak
- Communicating do’s and don’ts with employees and guests in the event of an outbreak of foodborne illness
- Best practices for dealing with media and social media in the event of an outbreak.
The document “Always Ready: Guide to Preparedness Outbreak Foodborne Illness Outbreak” is available here.
