Abstract
Extension Advisory groups have identified teens as a target group that is lacking information to handle food safely and prevent food-borne illness. Food service is a typical entry-level position for high school students. Many schools have decreased resources and lack a specific training program in food safety targeting food service, state regulations, and high school students. These trends have lead to the development of a food safety curriculum specifically for high schools students. Extension teamed with high school teachers to prepare Ready, Set, Food Safe, a curriculum of nine lessons with PowerPoint slides (including embedded video clips), a kit of 26 activities, student fill-in notes, and an exam. The curriculum is based on the Idaho CODE (Rules Governing Food Safety and Sanitation Standards for Food Establishments) and was reviewed and approved by the Idaho Food Protection Program manager. Students passing the exam with 80% or higher receive a state food safety and sanitation certificate, which meets Idaho CODE requirements. Strategies have been developed to measure knowledge gained, attitude change, and behavior change. The curriculum can be adapted to be state specific. The Ready, Set, Food Safe curriculum development was originally supported by the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Under Agreement No. 99-41563-0717. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in the publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.