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About this Site:

The Food Detectives Fight BAC!® game gives kids a fun way to learn about foodborne illness. More and more, foodborne illness is making news headlines. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), foodborne illnesses in the United States affect millions of people and cause thousands of deaths every year. The CDC says 300,000 people are hospitalized every year. You can learn more by going to BAC!® Facts.

By listening to music and 'solving cases', 8-12 year-old kids learn some key messages:

  • Bacteria is on food and dirty hands. That is why it is important to wash hands properly, and to handle food safely.
  • Hands should be washed before eating, before touching or preparing food or drink, and after going to the bathroom.
  • Bacteria can be killed by heating food to the proper temperature, or by cleaning hands or utensils that it comes in contact with. Bacteria growth can be slowed by chilling foods.
  • Leftovers should be refrigerated within 2 hours.
Games on the Food Detectives Fight BAC!® site include:
  • BacTV: 5 songs and videos help kids learn through song. Feel free to review the song lyrics.
  • The Case of the Kid Who Knew Enough: Youth are encouraged to make stickers or signs that share key reminders about food safety. They will need a printer. Most office supply sections of stores carry the label paper needed for making stickers.
  • The Case of the Filthy Fingers: By working through a timeline, kids learn when they should wash their hands, and when handwashing really isn't needed.
  • The Case of the Bacteria that Kept Growing: In this arcade-style game, kids kill bacteria with heat and soap.
  • The Case of Good Food Gone Bad: By safely handling food while making snacks and meals, kids can prevent foodborne illness. This class game of concentration offers hints and a few jokes as well.
  • Certificates: After all of the other cases have been 'solved', kids can design and print their own certificates.

Teaching Food Safety is Important!

The good news is that there are many things children and families can do to help ensure that their food is safe to eat at home, school and even when eating out. All they need is a basic awareness of proper food handling. There are wonderful resources that will help you find out more information about food borne illness at the Resources section of the web site. This program is intended to provide you with the tools and information to teach your child ways to reduce the risks of becoming ill from foodborne bacteria.

Activities

Looking for some fun ways for kids to learn when they aren't at a computer? Take a look at Things to Do.
 

Fight BAC!® with the Partnership for Food Safety Education! 

The Partnership for Food Safety Education was formed in 1997 to educate children and adults about the importance of food safety. While the United States has one of the safest food supplies in the world, preventing food-borne illness is still a major public health challenge. These materials work to provide you with useful information about safe handling of all foods to help you make sure that food stays safe once you bring it home.

Resources |  Activities   |  BAC!®Facts