WASHINGTON, D.C. -- After nearly a year of anticipation, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week released a supplement to the 2009 FDA Food Code that includes a recommendation that retail food establishments employ at least one certified food protection manager per location.
The amendment to the 2009 Food Code recommends the following: At least one employee that has supervisory and management responsibility and the authority to direct and control food preparation and service shall be a certified food protection manager who has shown proficiency of required information through passing a test that is part of an accredited program.
This section does not apply to certain types of food establishments deemed by the regulatory authority to pose minimal risk of causing, or contributing to, foodborne illness based on the nature of the operation and extent of food preparation.
The FDA Food Code is a voluntary set of recommended regulations used by state and local governments to create their one food-safety rules. Nearly half of all states already have some requirement for certified food-safety managers. How this might affect a particular retailer depends on how it trickles down to his or her municipality.
Key changes to 2009 Food Code recommendations contained in the new Supplement include:
- Requiring that food establishments have a certified food protection manager on staff.
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Including among the established duties of the person-in-charge, the following:
- That all operating procedures required by the Food Code are developed and implemented;
- That it can be verified that all employees are informed about their obligation to report certain health conditions that relate to transmission of foodborne illness;
- That any food the establishment receives after operating hours is delivered in a manner that does not create a food safety hazard.
- Requiring that food establishments have a plan for responding to and properly cleaning-up after an employee or other individual becomes physically ill in areas where food may be prepared, stored or served.
- Clarifying appropriate exceptions to the prohibition of bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods prepared in the establishment.
- Clarifying the requirements for the safe storage and display of ground and whole-muscle meat and poultry.
- New requirements for devices used to generate chemical sanitizers on-site in the food establishment.
- Establishing clearer guidelines for the amount time a food establishment should be given to correct violations of different types of provisions in the Food Code.
Retailers can send questions about the new recommendations to retailfoodprotectionteam@fda.hhs.gov.
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