FDA releases supplement to 2013 Food Code.

• Published by FDA, the Food Code serves as a model for retail and food service regulations nationwide.  FDA urges state, local, tribal, and territorial regulatory bodies to adopt the latest version of the Food Code.  Although the Food Code initially was published every two years, FDA now publishes a full version every four years.  During the interim period between full editions, FDA may publish Food Code Supplements to update, modify, or clarify provisions as needed.  The most recent full edition of the Food Code is the 2013 version.
• On July 2, 2015, FDA issued the Supplement to the 2013 Food Code, which modifies the 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.
  • Suggest that regulatory authorities ensure that inspection staff has access to the necessary training and continuing education.
• Particularly as state and local authorities may adopt the modified Food Code requirements as laws or regulations in the near future, it is beneficial for food service and food retail providers across the country to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in this area.