The Partnership for Food Safety Education has scheduled its Consumer Food Safety Education (CFSE) Virtual Conference for March 9-12, 2021. It is the only conference in the U.S. dedicated to consumer food safety education.

The conference convenes research experts and community-based health and food safety educators across the U.S. who are involved in educating people about food safety.

This year’s conference will explore many timely topics, including those that have impacted consumers since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

“When the pandemic hit, we had consumers worried about getting COVID-19 from their food and food packages,” said Shelley Feist, executive director of the Partnership for Food Safety Education. “The community of food safety educators — we call them BAC fighters — sprang into action to share evidence-based information with the public that addressed these and other concerns.”

Conference topics, presented by experts in food safety from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and other organizations throughout the U.S. include:

Consumers and safe handling of delivered foods

How the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted consumer shopping and cooking behaviors

Educating low-income parents about effective strategies to improve home food safety practices

Addressing the proper steps of handwashing, cleaning, sanitizing and the risks of cross contamination.

The CFSE virtual conference will feature:

Focused discussions on behavior change, the heart of improved food safety practices at home and at work.

Networking and collaborative dialogue with health and food safety educators from government agencies, non-profit organizations, higher education, and the food industry.

Access to tools and resources that address the biggest food safety challenges

Posters exploring the latest research and innovations.

Registration is $99 through Feb. 5, 2021, a $30 savings.

Graduate and undergraduate students studying food safety, food microbiology, public health or environmental health at a U.S.-based university are eligible to apply for a free scholarship to attend. The deadline for student scholarship submission is Feb. 18, 2021.

about the Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE)
The PFSE develops and promotes effective education programs to reduce foodborne illness risk for consumers. The organization delivers trusted, science-based behavioral health messaging and a network of resources that support consumers in their efforts to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.