The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a Supplement to the 2013 Food Code, a model for retail food regulations across the United States. The update provides the industry and government with practical, science-based controls for food handling in order to improve food safety.
The Supplement is based on recommendations made by regulatory officials, industry, academia, and consumers at the 2014 Biennial Meeting of the Conference for Food Protection.
The FDA publishes a new version of the Food Code every four years. During the interim period between full editions, FDA releases supplements to keep recommendations current.
The Supplement modifies the 2013 Food Code to:
- Expand the duties of the Person in Charge in a food establishment to include overseeing the routine monitoring of food temperatures during hot and cold holding;
- Expand and clarify the type of information that should be included when a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Plan is required by a regulatory authority;
- Emphasize that cleaning and sanitizing agents should be provided and available for use during all hours of operation;
- Clarify the difference between Typhoid Fever and nontyphoidal Salmonellosis with regard to the reporting of illness and the exclusion and restriction of ill food employees; and
- Suggest that regulatory authorities ensure that inspection staff has access to the necessary training and continuing education.
