Expert Recall

By Willie Bryant

We recently discussed the FDA and USDA activities in the areas of food protection as the two agencies have combined forces to minimize contamination and prevent illnesses in the growing, harvesting and processing of fruits and vegetables, and meat and meat products.

But one may wonder, where does the guidance come from for food protection at the retail level? 

The answer is in the news now as FDA has just issued its updated FDA Food Code 2009 which provides guidelines for retail food protection.  FDA has for many years taken the lead in providing guidance to retail food handlers including more than one million institutions, grocers, and restaurants by providing a food code designed to prevent food contamination and consumer illness.  The current update, replacing the 2007 version, once again provides the latest guidance based on continuing experience and expansion of scientifically sound knowledge related to the sources and control of microorganisms in food handling. 

It is FDA’s goal to have a nationwide system achieving uniform safety standards across the U.S. and the FDA Food Code serves as a model for food statues, regulations, and ordinances developed and approved by state and local governments. 

The Food Code has addressed the undercooking of hamburger and ground meats in the past, and has now expanded its concerns to time and temperature controls for cut leafy greens, greater food worker awareness of food allergens, with several requirements for effective cleaning and sanitizing of equipment and surfaces.

I believe one key to achieving the FDA goal is the ability of local governments to include the Food Code’s controls and guidance in its local ordinances and regulations and to have the trained inspectional personnel necessary to enforce them through inspectional activities. Additionally, a second key and critical piece of the program is the need for management of all establishments covered by the FDA guidance to proactively implement food safety management systems, as opposed to waiting for local food inspectors to discover problems.  The Food Code creates a standard for the establishment and maintenance of food safety controls so paramount to protecting the consumer from illness.

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