FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Calgary, AB – (September 14, 2010) – The Beef Information Centre (BIC) has released a series of safe food handling videos for consumers.

The ‘Food TLC’ series takes a food safety management system approach to food safety at home by following food from the grocery store, to preparation, cooking, storing and reheating. The series of stories is told by ‘Marissa the Meat Maven’ an animated character who conveys the messages in a consumer-friendly way while keeping the videos fun and engaging.

“In developing the videos, we opted for a look and feel that will appeal to our target market, while still providing useful information to a wider audience,” says Judy Nelson, BIC Chair and a cow-calf producer at Lundbreck, Alta. BIC’s target market is the beef consumer who eats beef 1-2 times per week with a specific focus on mothers 25-49 years of age who are the food decision makers of the family.

Food TLC consists of four videos, each dealing with a different stage of food handling: Shopping Smarts (buying food), The Big Chill (storing food), Clever Cooking (preparing food) and Loving Leftovers (handling food leftovers).

Various key messages are communicated through the video series, including the importance of taking groceries home without delay, keeping groceries refrigerated at 4 degrees C, cooking ground beef to 71 degrees C as measured by a digital instant read food thermometer and refrigerating leftovers promptly.

“The content of the videos is a valuable addition to the food safety education content on BIC’s consumer website (beefinfo.org),” notes Nelson. “Consumer food safety education complements the industry’s efforts to maintain and improve the safety of Canadian beef. Handling the product correctly significantly reduces risk of illness, outbreaks and product recalls, which are linked to consumer confidence. The initiative also demonstrates BIC’s commitment to food safety education and prevention of foodborne illness.”

To access the videos, go to www.beefinfo.org, click on Beef 101 (top bar), then click on Food TLC.

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For more information, please contact:
Janet Kanters
Stakeholder Communications Manager
Beef Information Centre
jkanters@beefinfo.org
Tel: 403-275-5890, ext 310