Preparing for Pennsylvania Food Code Changes - Part 1

Beginning in 2020, all retail food service operators in Pennsylvania will need to train additional managers/supervisors (Person in Charge - PIC) to be certified in food safety. Recognizing these additional requirements may be burdensome and require additional costs to implement, as the owner/operator you should view the changes as a positive approach to strengthening the overall food safety plan of your business. Having additional (PIC) staff trained provides stronger support and continuity of enforcement of proper food safety practices within your operation. Developing and promoting a food safety awareness culture in your operations is good business practice.

A new section of the PA Food Code Section 2-103.11(I) requires the PIC to verify employees are monitoring Temperature Controlled for Safety (TCS) food held for cold and hot held services. What this means is that your operation must develop a monitoring system that will allow the PIC to review the daily practices for TCS foods held for service.  Developing Standardized Operating Practices (SOP's)/policy for how the temperatures will be monitored and recorded for verification is required. Remember, if the action of monitoring is not documented, then the activity never occurred.  Developing a chart that includes the date, time, actual observed temperature recorded and initials of staff member doing the observations would be the basic components for this documentation.

Penn State Extension provides the ServSafe® Manager Certification course to meet these requirements. Training additional staff utilizing ServSafe® Manager Certification course from Penn State Extension will allow you to enhance your operations food safety practices with knowledgeable staff trained in proper food safety practices.