WASHINGTON, DC — March 14, 2003 — The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) today unveiled a comprehensive new industry program — SuperSafeMark® — providing food retail operators with the most complete food safety training program ever available. The program will be formally launched on March 17 with the first in a series of formal workshops.

“SuperSafeMark® is a revolutionary new program that offers complete food safety and sanitation instruction specifically designed for food retail operations,” said Jill Hollingsworth, DVM, vice president, food safety programs, FMI. “This program was designed by retailers for retailers with a focus on the most critical food safety issues today. Food retail companies of all sizes will quickly learn that SuperSafeMark® is a must-have resource.”

Program Kicks Off With Train-the-Trainer Workshop

SuperSafeMark® will be launched in Washington, DC with the Train-the-Trainer program, a two-day workshop to educate food safety professionals on how to become effective trainers using SuperSafeMark ® materials. Course instructors will demonstrate how to conduct the SuperSafeMark® training program. Additional workshops are planned for locations around the country.

Train-the-Trainer participants will receive a library of SuperSafeMark® publications, a complete Trainer’s Kit and CD-ROMs containing PowerPoint slides and posters that can be customized for individual companies.

Workshop participants will also have the opportunity to sit for a food protection certification examination immediately following the program. Participants who complete the Train-the-Trainer program and pass the certification exam will become FMI-approved SuperSafeMark® instructors.

The instructors for the workshop are Dr. David McSwane and Dr. Richard Linton, members of academia and the food safety community and authors of the training materials.

Food Safety Guides and Online Resources Complement Training

The SuperSafeMark® program features numerous resources for food safety trainers and all associates who handle food:

• Retail Best Practices and Guide to Food Safety and Sanitation – Fully updated to the 2001 FDA Food Code, this publication serves as a manager’s guide to certification and a reference to food safety terminology using industry-specific photos and illustrations. The guide includes case studies, key concept flags, a removable quick reference time-and-temperature chart and a sanitizing and warewashing chart.

• Retail Best Practices and Supervisor’s Guide to Food Safety and Sanitation – Designed to prepare managers and supervisors in food retail and wholesale operations for certification testing, this guide includes need-to-know food safety information in an up-to-date, highly illustrated and comprehensive format. Features include control symbol icons, in-text glossary, a quick reference time-and-temperature chart, industry case studies, and a sanitizing and warewashing chart.

• Retail Best Practices and Quick Reference to Food Safety and Sanitation – Using colorful illustrations in a highly visual format, the quick reference is designed to teach food handlers the essentials of food safety and sanitation. It focuses on personal hygiene, time-and-temperature controls, prevention of cross contamination, and proper sanitizing and cleaning practices. Key features include an illustrated glossary of terms and a Test Your Knowledge review.

• Retail Best Practices and Trainer’s Kit to Food Safety and Sanitation – This easy-to-follow, bulleted training and teaching guide educates both managers and hourly employees on food safety and sanitation. The PowerPoint slide presentations, provided on CD ROMs, include effective illustrations and photos that emphasize the importance of proper time-and-temperature controls, good personal hygiene habits, prevention of cross contamination, and proper cleaning and sanitizing principles. Technical, testable information about food safety and sanitation is reinforced through sample questions, real-life scenarios, learning exercises and a five-video series. The Trainer’s Kit can be customized to fit any size group in one- or two-day sessions.

For more information about the SuperSafeMark® program, contact the ordering department at 800-922-0579 or visit www.supersafemark.com.

For information about the SuperSafeMark® Train-the-Trainer workshops, please contact Laurie Williams (202-220-0660, lwilliams@fmi.org) or visit www.fmi.org/events/confmain.cfm?meetings_id=336.