TABC Made Apps to Lessen Excessive, Underage Drinking

Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) is set to put a damper on traditional alcohol-fueled revelry on Texas beaches this spring break, but parents and the public in general aren’t complaining. The potential showstoppers (for college students, at least) are two apps being developed for the TABC: an app that will help alcohol-imbibing users to gauge their motor skills; and an app that will allow anyone to file a complaint with the TABC against an establishment suspected either of serving alcohol to a minor or of over-serving alcohol.

Of course, consumers and the public have long benefitted from TABC certification, alcohol server certification, and alcohol training, industry initiatives that have protected the community against the consequences of alcohol abuse.

“Our focus is on risk-based enforcement,” clarified TABC spokeswoman Carolyn Beck. “We’re looking for the sources, not just combing the beach for random people drinking.”

The governor’s office’s criminal justice division is providing funds for the development of the apps—a two-year grant totaling $430,000. It represents the largest spring-break-related grant that TABC has received. TABC said that as of Jan. 31, it had spent $155,800 on development, on distribution of educational materials, and on funding enforcement efforts. “We’re always trying to balance public safety and public service,” 

“You can apply it specifically to spring break because the local economy depends upon that influx of consumers, and to keep that influx you have to keep it safe and fun.”

Bolstering Food Safety Effort, GMA Strengthens its Own Food-Safety Campaign

From the get-go food safety has been all about food handling and food preparation. But in case some didn’t get the memo, the International Food Information Council Foundation in 2006 endeavoured to track food-safety practices in the U.S. population amid growing food-safety incidents and outbreaks of food-borne illnesses.

Because proper food and food-product handling is essential in preventing food-borne illness outbreaks, many restaurant owners now require a ISO 22000 Certification as a hiring requisite. Unfortunately, weak links still remain in the human food-supply chain.