WASHINGTON – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday launched its food defense awareness training kit with the Centers for Disease Control and Preventin (CDC) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The training targets first line food industry employees because they can play an important role in helping to keep the country’s food supply safe, from the farm to the table.

Food industry management will use the FIRST tool kit as part of ongoing employee food defense training programs. The tool kit focuses on five key points that industry and businesses can use to educate first line workers about the risks of food contamination. It also provides industry with measures to consider and implement to reduce these risks, according to the FDA.

Single copies of the kit are available in English and Spanish. The kit is free to employees and includes one DVD, a training poster, and on-screen instructions. Copies can be obtained by ordering online from the Food Defense & Terrorism Web site: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/fooddefense. A Web-ready version of the kit will be available later this month.

Source: Food and Drug Administration