The Foodservice Packaging Institute (FPI) would like to remind prospective applicants for the 2008 Samuel J. Crumbine Award for Excellence in Food Protection at the Local Level that the entry deadline is Friday, March 14, 2008. More details for applicants may be found on FPI’s Web site at www.fpi.org (in the “Awards” section).

Named for one of America’s most renowned health officers and health educators – Samuel J. Crumbine, M.D. (1862-1954) – the Award has elevated the importance of food protection programs within government departments and agencies and has inspired excellence in the planning and delivery of those services.

Entries for the Crumbine Award competition are limited to U.S. and Canadian local environmental health jurisdictions (county, district, city, town, or township) that provide food protection services to their communities under authority of a statute or ordinance. The U.S. Uniformed Services and U.S. Indian Health Service area programs are also invited to compete, if they are not monitored by a state, county or city health unit. Past winners may apply five years after receiving the award.

The guidelines are to be used as the basis for all applications for the Crumbine Award and must be followed strictly in order to be considered for the award. The basic award criteria, by which achievement is measured, are:

  • Sustained improvements and excellence, as documented by specific outcomes and achievements, over the preceding four to six years, as evidenced by continual improvements in the basic components of a comprehensive program;
  • Innovative and effective use of program methods and problem solving to identify and reduce risk factors that are known to cause foodborne illness;
  • Demonstrated improvements in planning, managing, and evaluating a comprehensive program; and
  • Providing targeted outreach; forming partnerships; and participating in forums that foster communication and information exchange among the regulators, industry and consumer representatives.

The winner of the Award is selected by an independent panel of food protection practitioners who are qualified by education and experience to discern excellence in a program of food and beverage sanitation. They represent various interests, including leading public health and environmental health associations, past Crumbine Award winners, consumer advocates and the food industry. The jury makes its award selection each spring in a judging process administered by FPI.

The Crumbine Award is supported by the Conference for Food Protection in cooperation with the American Academy of Sanitarians, American Public Health Association, Association of Food & Drug Officials, Foodservice Packaging Institute, International Association for Food Protection, International Food Safety Council, National Association of County and City Health Officials, National Environmental Health Association, NSF International and Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.

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