1. Judy Kay Flohr EdD,RD,LDN 1, Rita Brennan Olson, MS 2, Kathleen Millet, LDN 2,, Lynne Thompson, MS 3 and Stephanie Lally 1 University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Department of Hospitality & Tourism Management 1,Massachusetts Department of Education 2 and University of Massachusetts Extension Nutrition Education Program 3 A. BACKGROUND The Massachusetts Department of Education collaborated with the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Hospitality and Tourism and members of the MA Food Equipment And Safety Training (FEAST) advisory committee to assess training needs and develop easy-to-read fact sheets for operating and cleaning equipment safely. Teaching Tips were designed to be used with the fact sheets as a guide for food service supervisors to explain and demonstrate the safe operation of food equipment and to reinforce food sanitation principles with individuals or small groups of workers. FEAST materials are designed specifically for school nutrition managers or supervisors to use with groups or individual training. FEAST training materials will be accessible via mafoodsafetyeducation.info and doe.mass.edu/cnp. PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES CONCLUSIONS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS TRAINING MODULE AND TEACHING TIPS Survey data collected from school nutrition directors about food worker training needs in Massachusetts revealed that: Food equipment safety training was needed. Most school food service kitchens use the conventional or ready-prepared production method. The languages most requested for translating the training materials were Portuguese, Spanish, Italian and Chinese. * APPLICATION Advisory Group: Rose Goddard, Andrew Stratton, Diane Sylvia, Julie Dougal, Diane Bernazzani, Ann Pitzen, Sonia Carter, Shane Varnum and Michael Grey. Food Equipment And Safety Training (FEAST) is a collaborative food safety education project funded by the Massachusetts Department of Education Nutrition Health and Safety with the University of Massachusetts Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, University of Massachusetts Extension Nutrition Education Program The easy to read training materials are needed for school nutrition personnel and their supervisors The limited training materials that were available were not formatted in the languages native to many of the school food service employees. By designing the FEAST Fact Sheets and companion DVD, we will be giving the school food service employees access to materials in order to become better trained in the area of equipment operation and cleaning safety. SURVEY RESULTS. FEAST is a collaborative project between the Massachusetts Department of Education and the University of Massachusetts Amherst to help school nutrition program personnel improve food and equipment safety practices through enhancing food sanitation and safety education. Objectives: Assess training needs of district food service personnel - Convene FEAST Advisory Group. -Survey training needs on safe food handling and equipment safety practices Develop training modules to help food service workers -Increase knowledge of proper equipment operation and cleaning procedures. -Improve safe food handling and equipment safety practices The FEAST Training Module and Teaching Tips includes: An outline of teaching tips to use with each food service equipment type fact sheet. FEAST Teaching Tips include: Learning Objectives – what the learner will know and do as a result of this training Lesson Outline – suggested points for discussion, demonstration and review or assessment Skills Inventory – a sample form to document training and demonstration of competency Resources – websites for additional food service related safety materials School nutrition directors were surveyed to assess food equipment safety training needs. Fact sheets and teaching tips were developed. Massachusetts school nutrition personnel were introduced to the fact sheets and training packet at a statewide Massachusetts Department of Education conference in June 2006. A follow-up survey indicated that fact sheets were “very important” in teaching basic equipment operation, cleaning and sanitation improved operation knowledge and safe operation and equipment sanitation practices Evaluations were used to develop a supplemental training CD-Rom featuring equipment demonstrations with USDA recipes. These training materials will be pilot-tested in Summer/Fall 2007. The FEAST Fact Sheets include 14 types of equipment in three food service categories. Each defined and describes Equipment type and purpose Important safety and sanitation principles Safe operating and cleaning directions Key terms and important equipment parts