Refrigeration education!

"Eat Smart and Be Smart" is the slogan of the social marketing campaign that was launched in Barbados on July 12, 2005 by the Barbados Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO). The aim of the campaign is to promote food safety to avoid the occurrence of foodborne diseases and their potentially serious repercussions for a country that relies on the income generated by the tourist industry. Initiated following a 3-month survey targeting 3301 selected households on consumer awareness and food safety practices in Barbados, Jamaica, Belize and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the survey raised considerable concerns, notably regarding the lack of refrigeration of meats, fish and poultry: 57.9% did not refrigerate food within 2 hours of cooking, 28.8% felt it was acceptable to consume meat or chicken left unrefrigerated overnight and 26.8% believed that fish left outside the fridge overnight was safe to eat.