990847 "Don't Put It On The Bun Until It's Done!" CampaignAugust 19, 1999Mauldin, SC - BI-LO has introduced Don't Put It On The Bun Until It's Done!, a consumer awareness program stressing the safe preparation of ground beef and other ground meats. The chain wide campaign emphasizes the importance of cooking ground beef to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F to eliminate any harmful bacteria. Kickoff of BI-LO's Don't Put It On The Bun Until It's Done! campaign coincides with National Food Safety Education Month celebrated the month of September. Sponsored by the International Food Safety Council, the fifth annual National Food Safety Education Month carries a key message of "cooking to the proper temperature." BI-LO has installed Don't Put It On The Bun Until It's Done! displays in the meat departments of its 267 stores that include a Safe Cooking Tips brochure, instant-read digital thermometers and T-Stick disposable thermometers. BI-LO also introduced new labels on all ground meat products that encourage the use of an internal thermometer to check doneness. The discovery of E. coli 0157:H7, a bacteria that can cause serious illness and even death, has raised the awareness about the safe cooking of ground beef. But a recent study commissioned by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association revealed that only two percent of Americans say they regularly use an instant read thermometer to determine proper doneness, and only five percent of respondents could correctly identify 160 degrees F as the proper cooking temperature for ground beef patties. "With the Labor Day weekend upon us, and football season and tailgating soon to follow, this is a good time to remind consumers that a burger cooked to 160 degrees is safe to enjoy," said Joyce Smart Buchanan, BI-LO Public Affairs Manager. "We want to stress the importance of proper cooking and handling of food by making safety tips and instant read thermometers readily available at every BI-LO store." The Georgia Beef Board, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and affiliated organizations in South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee all have endorsed BI-LO's Don't Put It On The Bun Until It's Done! food safety program. "The Georgia Beef Board is excited about a retail chain helping educate consumers about food safety," said Anne Griffeth, Communications Coordinator for the Georgia Beef Board. "BI-LO's Don't Put It On The Bun Until It's Done! brochure contains important information about the safe handling and preparation of ground beef." The Department of Agriculture in BI-LO's home state of South Carolina also has endorsed the supermarket chain's new food safety program. "The South Carolina Department of Agriculture supports BI-LO in their efforts to raise consumer awareness regarding safe handling and preparation of beef," said SC Commissioner of Agriculture D. Leslie Tindal. BI-LO Inc., with headquarters in Mauldin, SC, operates 267 supermarkets in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee and employs more than 26,000 associates.
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