FDA issues revised 2009 Food Code

The Food and Drug Administration has published the new FDA Food Code, a model code and reference document that provides a scientifically sound technical and legal basis for regulating the retail food and foodservice segment.

State, city, county, tribal, and territorial agencies regulate more than one million restaurants, retail food stores, and vending and foodservice operations in institutions such as schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and child care centers. The model FDA Food Code provides a basis for most of those agencies’ licensing, inspection, and enforcement activities, and offers a model for food statutes, regulations, and ordinances.

Enhancements to the 2009 FDA Food Code include:

•Each provision in the code is now designated as a “Priority Item,” a “Priority Foundation Item,” or a “Core Item,” to assist the industry and regulatory community in prioritizing their food safety interventions and inspections. These designations are based on a qualitative risk assessment and replace the use of “Critical” and “Non-Critical” designations in previous editions of the code.

•Cut leafy greens are included among foods requiring time and temperature control for safety, and a new supporting reference document, Recommendations to Food Establishments for Serving or Selling Cut Leafy Greens, is summarized.

•Requirements are added to improve food worker awareness of food allergens in the foodservice and retail setting.

•Serving hamburgers and other ground meats in an undercooked form upon a consumer’s request is no longer an option for items offered on a children’s menu.

•A new definition and criteria are added in a new section for the non-continuous cooking of foods comprised of raw animal products to address the safety of this cooking method.

•Several requirements related to effective cleaning and sanitizing of equipment and surfaces are enhanced or clarified.

Copies of the 2009 FDA Food Code can be ordered from the US Department of Commerce, Technology Administration, National Technical Information Service, 5301 Shawnee Rd, Alexandria VA 22312; or phone (703) 605-6040; TDD: (703) 487-4639. Refer to report number PB2009112613.

For more details, visit www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/RetailFoodProtection/FoodCode/FoodCode2009.