Annual food safety education conference set for Sept. 29

KINGSTON, R.I.-- September 15, 1999 -- The University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension Food Safety Education Program, with support from other members of the Rhode Island Food Safety Task Force, will hold its annual conference on Wednesday, Sept. 29 at the Radisson Hotel in Warwick from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The cooperators for this year's conference include: Johnson & Wales University, state departments of Health and Education, Rhode Island Food Dealers Association and the Rhode Island Hospitality and Tourism Association.

This year's half-day conference "Hurdling the Training Barriers - Food Safety Education," will focus on increasing knowledge and understanding of issues related to successful food safety training that leads to correct food safety practices.

The keynote speaker, Dr. Pete Synder, a national authority on food safety training methods, will discuss simple employee training designed to create permanent safe behavior. His presentation will be followed by a regulatory response to successes and failures in food safety training. The keynote speech will be proceeded by short update presentations on organic foods, recalls and current Rhode Island food safety issues.

Representatives from the industry including Robert Daugherty, executive chef at the Newport Doubletree Islander Hotel, Mathew Bibbeault, executive chef for Chelo's and Mike McCullough from URI Dining Services will discuss training techniques that have worked in their establishments.

The conference begins with registration and continental breakfast at 8 a.m. To register, send your name, address, telephone number and a check for $15 made payable to URI Cooperative Extension to Martha Patnoad, Cooperative Education Center, 3 East Alumni Ave, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, R.I. 02881 by September 22. For more information, contact Patnoad at 874-2960.

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For more information: Jan Sawyer, 874-2116