Young children are among the most vulnerable when it comes to foodborne illnesses so the USDA has enlisted the help of Alvin and the Chipmunks for a campaign to help parents and educators teach good food safety habits. Dubbed “The Road Chip to Food Safety” as a nod to the little guys’ new movie “Alvin and the Chipmunks — The Road Chip,” the campaign is a group effort from the Ad Council, 20th Century Fox and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 
Kid-friendly activity sheets featuring the chipmunks, games and food safety tips are available for parents and teachers to download at http://tinyurl.com/ChipmunkFoodSafety. Public service announcements on television, radio and the Internet are also included in the USDA’s campaign. “Young children are at a higher risk for foodborne illness,and keeping them safe is a top priority for FSIS,” USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety Alfred Almanza said in a news release. “These familiar characters offer USDA a great opportunity to communicate this valuable public health message in a way to get the attention of children and parents.” An estimated one in six, or 48 million, Americans get sick from foodborne illness each year, resulting in roughly 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC reports children are among the most vulnerable to food poisoning because their immune systems are still developing, so parents and caregivers need to take extra precautions when preparing food for children under five. Materials from “The Road Chip to Food Safety” campaign are designed for use by adults and children together. Alvin, Theodore, Simon, and their human friend Dave demonstrate the four steps to food safety in the public service announcements and downloadable activity sheets: Clean; Separate; Cook; and Chill.
