KANSAS
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT
BILL GRAVES, GOVERNOR
Gary R. Mitchell, Secretary
For Immediate Release
September 17,1998
Contact: Don Brown, 785-296-1529
Food Safety Month Stresses Education for all Kansans in the Kitchen
September is National Food Safety Month, and health officials are stressing the importance of proper food handling, both in restaurants and in the home. Diseases from food - foodborne illnesses - present a major health problem in the United States. Each year millions of people become ill from so-called food poisoning.
Governor Bill Graves has signed a proclamation designating September as "Kansas Food Safety Education Month." The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), along with K-State Research and Extension and Local Health Departments will be hosting free Food Safety Seminars in 36 sites across the state.
The statewide educational campaign will intensify during the final two weeks of the month. September 23, 1998 has been designated as Food Safety Education Day for food service workers. KDHE, Local Health Departments and County Extension Offices will have details about food safety seminars in your area.
"Food safety education is an important element of the total public health package," said Gary Mitchell, Secretary of Health and Environment. "Everyone eats and everyone assumes some degree of risk from foodborne illness. When we promote safe food handling practices we are raising the health standards for everyone."
Steve Paige, Director of KDHE's Bureau of Environmental Health Services, offers the following tips for keeping your kitchen a safe and healthy place.
•Keep food clean. This means washing hands frequently, using clean towels, sponges, cooking dishes, and utensils, and sanitizing counters and cutting boards between food preparation steps.
•Keep hot food hot. Cook food to the proper temperature and hold it at temperatures higher than 140 F. Do not let food stand at room temperature.
•Keep cold food cold. After cooking, cool foods that are to be stored or served cold to 41degrees F or below within two hours. Keep the refrigerator at 36 degrees F or colder.
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Note: A list of local food safety activities and contact information follows.
| Food Safety Education Partners/Presenters | Location | Date | Contact Person | Phone | |
| 1 | Butler/Greenwood Co. | El Dorado | 09/23/98 | Carol Borger | 316) 321-3400 |
| 2 | Lyon Co. Health Dept. | Emporia | 09/23/98 | Ann Mayo | 316) 342-4864 |
| 3 | Morris Co. Health Dept. | Council Grove | 09/23/98 | Angela Kohls | 785) 762-5788 |
| 4 | Reno Co. Health Dept. | Hutchinson | 09/23/98 | Judith Seltzer | 316) 649-2900 |
| 5 | Saline Co. Health Dept. | Salina | 09/23/98 | Diann Cline | 785) 826-6604 |
| 6 | Wichita/Sedgwick Co. Health Dept. | Wichita | 09/23/98 | Ted Cooper | 316) 268-8429 |
| 7 | Shawnee Co. Extention | Topeka | 09/23/98 | Cindy Evans | 785)232-0062 |
| 8 | Shawnee Co. Health Agency | Topeka | 09/23/98 | Chris Etcheson | 785) 368-2076 |
| 9 | Wyandotte Co. Health Dept. | Kansas City | 09/23/98 | Emerick Cross | 913) 321-4803 |
| 10 | Johnson Co. Environmental | Overland Park | 09/29/98 | Bob Fields | 913) 492-0402 |
| 12 | KDHE Pratt, Stafford, Barber, Kingman | Pratt | 09/23/98 | Earnest Barnes | 316) 337-6028 |
| 13 | KDHE Montgomery Co. | Coffeyville | 09/23/98 | Dave Bustos | 316) 496-8161 |
| 14 | KDHE Dickinson County | Abilene | 09/23/98 | Melissa Lill | 785) 452-1691 |
| 15 | KDHE Osborne Co. K-State Extension | Osborne | 09/23/98 | Alice Greig | 785) 346-2412 |
| 16 | KDHE Harvey Co. | Newton a.m. | 09/23/98 | Mark Lackey | 785) 826-6925 |
| 17 | KDHE McPherson Co. | McPherson p.m. | 09/23/98 | Mark Lackey | 785) 826-6925 |
| 18 | KDHE Atchison Co. K-State Extension | Atchison | 09/23/98 | Gary Magathan | 785) 296-5600 |
| 19 | KDHE Franklin Co. K-State Extension | Ottawa | 09/23/98 | Daryl Meierhoff | 785) 296-5600 |
| 20 | KDHE Leavenworth Co./K-State Ext. & Johnson Co. | Leavenworth | 09/23/98 | Launa Osbourn | 785) 296-5600 |
| 21 | KDHE Douglas Co. K-State Ext. | Lawrence | 09/23/98 | Roger Ozias | 785) 296-5600 |
| 22 | KDHE Ellis Co. K-State Ext. | Hays | 09/23/98 | Don Parsons | 785) 623-1696 |
| 23 | KDHE Barton Co. | Great Bend | 09/23/98 | Greg Willis | 785) 623-0434 |
| 24 | KDHE Meade Co. K-State | Meade | 09/23/98 | Amy Rickard | 316) 338-1343 |
| 25 | KDHE Kiowa Co. K-State Ext. | Greensburg-2-4pm | 09/24/98 | Pam Purtz | 316) 723-2156 |
| 26 | KDHE (Comanche Co.) K-State Ext. | Coldwater-7-9pm | 09/24/98 | Jan St Clair | 316) 582-2411 |
| 27 | KDHE Cowleu Co. K-State Ext. | Cowley County | 09/23/98 | Melinda Rice | 316) 640-0272 |
| 28 | KDHE Sumner Co. K-State Ext. | Wellington | 09/23/98 | Melinda Rice | 316) 640-0272 |
| 29 | Miami Co. K-State Ext. | Paola | 09/23/98 | Diane Burnett | 913) 294-4306 |
| 30 | Rice Co. K-State Ext. | Lyons | 09/23/98 | L.Shoemaker | 316) 257-5131 |