Last week, FDA issued a Supplement to the 2013 Food Code to address recommendations made
by regulatory officials, industry, academia, and consumers at the
2014 Biennial Meeting of the Conference for Food
Protection. The Food Code and its Supplement provide government
and industry with recommended practical, science-based controls for
reducing the risk of foodborne illness in retail and foodservice
establishments. The Food Code and the Supplement are joint projects
of FDA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
("CDC"), and USDA's Food Safety and Inspection
Service ("FSIS"). The Food Code is a model for retail
food regulations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and
Puerto Rico and a model for safeguarding public health and ensuring
food is unadulterated. It represents FDA's best advice for a
uniform system of provisions that address the safety and protection
of food offered at retail and in food service.
The Supplement modifies the 2013 Food Code to expand
responsibilities of people in charge of retail establishments,
expand and clarify what information should be provided in a Hazard
Analysis and Critical Control Points Plan, and emphasize what
cleaning agents should be provided and made available at all hours
of operation, among other things.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
