September is National Food Safety Education Month, a time to reflect on why food safety is important and the potential impact it has on the population when food safety measures aren’t taken seriously. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that unsafe food causes 600 million cases of foodborne diseases and 420,000 deaths each year.
There are roughly 48 million cases of foodborne illness every year in the United States alone, resulting in an estimated 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. The worst part about these statistics is the fact that foodborne illness is 100% preventable.
ASI works to prevent this from happening every day as a food safety Certification Body, but there are several ways that anyone can get involved and raise awareness, no matter where they fall along the food supply chain.
1. Encourage Training & Ongoing Education
This month provides a great opportunity for your team to refresh their food safety knowledge through corporate trainings, webinars, etc.
For starters, on Monday September 16th your team can unlock the fundamentals of internal safety & quality with one of ASI’s comprehensive courses, "Principles of Internal Auditing." Rooted in the principles of ISO 19011 and designed for professionals seeking to enhance their auditing skills, this course provides a solid foundation in the methodologies and best practices essential for effective internal audits.
ASI is hosting several live trainings throughout the rest of the year, including a Food Safety Culture course on October 29th, an Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP) course on October 31st and much more! (See full schedule HERE.)
Another way to expand your food safety knowledge this month could be through attending an educational webinar hosted by food safety focused organizations. For example, The International Dairy, Deli and Bakery Association (IDDBA) hosts a series of educational webinars that are free for anyone to join, listen, and learn.
IDDBA has several webinars in September, and is hosting one in particular with ASI on September 17th entitled “Avoiding the Top 10 Most Common Food Safety Mistakes in Dairy Processing.” No matter if you are completely new to the safety certification process, or if you are preparing for an upcoming audit, this webinar could help your facility avoid making the same mistake twice.
2. Donate to Industry Advancement
Aspiring food safety or food science professionals are few and far between, but growing the food safety work force with young and hungry talent is crucial to improve our food supply chain and progress the industry forward. So, what can we do to spark more interest in this field?
Donating to a non-profit organization like Show Me Food Safety with specific programs in place to reward stand-out students interested in the field is a good start.
To raise awareness of career opportunities in food safety, Show Me Food Safety, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization celebrates students enrolled in a food science or food safety-related degree program by awarding an annual scholarship. Scholarship winners either have improved or have set intentions to improve the food supply chain. 
Last year’s scholarship winner was Cyril Nsom Ayuk Etaka, originally from Cameroon, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in agriculture, a master’s degree in standards and quality control of agricultural products and another master’s degree in food science. Etaka has written two extension publications on best practices for the safe handling of food items at food pantries. Following his doctorate, he plans to pursue a career in food safety auditing, with an overall goal of eventually running his own private practice in food safety. Etaka’s passion is exactly what the food safety world needs to progress.
Show Me Food Safety operates its scholarship program strictly through donations, which are welcome at any time of the year on the organization’s website (www.showmefs.org).
3. Raise Awareness of Foodborne Illness
Another way to get involved in Food Safety Education Month is by participating in STOP3000, an awareness campaign driven by the national public health non-profit, Stop Foodborne Illness (STOP).
STOP has been working to reduce the incidence of illness and death associated with food for 30 years, advocating for impactful policy changes, financially supporting affected families, and driving a culture shift within the food industry to prioritize food safety as a critical public health concern.
This year, STOP is hosting its fourth annual STOP3000 education and fundraising campaign. STOP3000 challenges participants to take 3,000 steps every single day during the month of September to honor the estimated 3,000 lives lost each year in the U.S. to foodborne illness.
Similar to Show Me Food Safety, anyone is welcome to donate to the cause at any time to show your support towards Food Safety Education through their website (https://stopfoodborneillness.org/).
Overall, food safety impacts everyone, and it’s important to remember that each step we take—whether learning more, supporting future professionals, or spreading the word—helps build a safer food supply chain. By participating in initiatives like these, we can all play a part in reducing the preventable threat of foodborne illness. So let’s continue to prioritize food safety, not just in September, but every day of the year.