In an effort to promote awareness and strengthen prevention against norovirus, the National Restaurant Association, the nation’s largest foodservice trade organization, has teamed up with Ecolab, the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services, to launch a campaign focused on providing the restaurant industry with a broad range of tools and resources to help combat the spread of the virus.
“We’re proud to partner with Ecolab as we continue our commitment to leading the way in food safety and handling,” says Sherman Brown, senior vice president of ServSafe, the Association’s food safety training certification program. “Norovirus is a serious threat to the foodservice industry. This campaign is designed to provide the industry with the tools necessary to raise awareness, prevent and fight against the virus.”
”Both Ecolab and the Association have heard from the industry about the need for additional information and training to address norovirus,” says Mike Hickey, Ecolab executive vice president and president of Global Institutional. “By combining the Association’s commitment to its members and our expertise in food safety across the food supply chain, we are uniquely positioned to help their members and our customers advance food safety, and protect their staff and guests from norovirus.”
To kick off the campaign, the Association and Ecolab released a white paper entitled “Norovirus: The Notorious Dangers.” The report, which is free to the public, provides a clear blueprint for restaurants to develop an action plan to prevent and combat the virus.
The campaign will run from November to March and will highlight the sources of norovirus and provide tips and tools on how to detect and prevent the spread of foodborne illness through proper hand washing, cleaning procedures and staff training. The Association has launched a landing page to house the new training tools and resources that will be made available to members of the industry free of charge. Materials include activities, posters, infographics and videos.
