CIEH Hero Award 2026: How The Food Safety Mum is changing kitchen habits across the UK

This year’s CIEH Excellence Awards Hero of the Year was awarded to Jenna Brown, an Environmental Health Officer (EHO), mother of two and creator of the hugely successful social media initiative, The Food Safety Mum.

Driven by a passion for helping families feel more confident handling food safely at home, Jenna has built a large and engaged online audience by sharing evidence-based advice on everyday food safety topics. From freezing and defrosting food to reheating leftovers and safe food storage, her practical guidance helps families stay safe while reducing food waste and saving money.

Since January 2025, Jenna’s content has generated more than 5.2 million views and attracted an audience of over 57,000 followers, helping to drive meaningful behaviour change in home kitchens across the UK and beyond.

A lifelong passion for food safety

Based in Ashford, Kent, Jenna’s interest in food safety began at an early age.

She said she had wanted to work in food safety ever since taking her first food hygiene training course “for fun” during a food technology lesson at school when she was 15.

Jenna began her career in local government as a student EHO while studying for the CIEH-accredited Environmental Health degree at Middlesex University. She graduated in 2011 with a first-class honours degree and has since built a successful career in environmental health.

The inspiration behind The Food Safety Mum

Although Jenna had spent more than 14 years working in environmental health, it was becoming a parent that inspired her to launch The Food Safety Mum.

“I suddenly understood first-hand how much things change when you have little mouths to feed,” Jenna explained.

“At the same time, I became increasingly aware that while social media has become a primary source of information for families, it's often saturated with misinformation, outdated practices, or oversimplified advice.

“I kept seeing the same uncertainties time and time again with questions constantly being asked around storing, defrosting or reheating food safely.

“I began creating short, engaging videos answering the everyday questions like; “Can I freeze this?”, “How long will this last?”, “How do I reheat this safely?”, with a focus on practical advice that is realistic for busy parents.”

Her approach quickly resonated with parents and carers seeking reliable, easy-to-understand advice.

Since January 2025, Jenna’s platforms across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube have grown significantly.

“My content focuses on behaviour change, not just awareness, promoting food safety in a way that feels relevant and achievable,” Jenna said. “I regularly share guidance on feeding babies and toddlers safely, freezing and defrosting food, reheating leftovers, and cooking poultry.

“I also promote simple tools like food thermometers and provide insight into topics like how to check food hygiene ratings and what inspectors look for.”

Helping families cut food waste and save money

A key part of Jenna’s mission is helping households waste less food while maintaining high standards of food safety.

“With 58% of UK food waste coming from the home, there has never been a more important time to support families, especially with ongoing cost of living pressures,” Jenna said.

“By helping people understand how to handle food safely, they feel more confident keeping and using it, rather than throwing food away unnecessarily.

“My content is designed to support families in practical ways helping them save money, reduce waste, and manage mealtimes more confidently, without compromising on safety.”

A growing impact

The Food Safety Mum has clearly struck a chord with audiences, with Jenna’s influence continuing to grow both in the UK and internationally.

She said: “Between January 2025 and April 2026 my content amassed a total of 5.2million views across my social media platforms with my content reaching people all over the world including Ireland Germany, Italy, Norway, Greece, as well as the United States, Canada and Australia.

“I never would have imagined that would be possible when I first started my account. Most importantly, I also regularly receive feedback from people who enjoy my content and have changed how they handle food as a direct result of my content.

“Social media can be unpredictable, and I’ve always said that if my content helps even one person, it’s worthwhile.

“Importantly, my work as ‘The Food Safety Mum’ demonstrates how Environmental Health professionals can extend beyond traditional settings and I am proud that The Food Safety Mum has become a trusted, ongoing resource that people return to for practical advice and reassurance.”

Recognition from CIEH

The judges praised Jenna’s work for its “innovative and highly effective approach to a significant public health challenge” and said it addressed “a clear and under-recognised gap in household food safety, delivering relatable and engaging content through modern social media platforms.”

For Jenna, the award is a significant milestone in a project that began simply with a desire to help families navigate food safety with confidence.

She said she was “absolutely delighted” to receive the honour.

“To have that work recognised by CIEH with an Environmental Health Hero award is a real honour and something I'm incredibly proud of,” she added.