Supplement to the 2017 FDA Food Code Released

Issued every four years, the FDA Food Code, is a joint effort by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). According to the FDA, the intent of the code and the supplement is to provide "practical, science-based controls to reduce the risk of foodborne illness in retail and foodservice establishments of all types."

A few key updates to note include:

• Allow food establishments in limited circumstances, such as in a restricted office building or break room, that pose minimal risk of causing, or contributing to foodborne illness to operate without a person in charge, as approved by the regulatory authority.
• Add a new exception for when "time without temperature control" is used as the public health control for ready-to-eat produce and hermetically sealed food upon cutting, chopping or opening of the hermetically sealed container. This exception allows these foods to begin at 70°F or less and remain at 70°F for a maximum of 4 hours. For example, this would apply once a can of tuna is opened or tomatoes are cut.
• Remove the allowance for use of chemically treated towelettes for hand washing because the means to wash hands in limited situations is readily available and hand washing has been determined to be effective.
• Expand and clarify the type of information that should be included when a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Plan (HACCP) is required by a regulatory authority.
• Include new supporting documents such as the USDA-FSIS Chicken Liver Guidance and the Conference for Food Protection's Mail Order Food Companies Guidance Document.

Martin Bucknavage, Senior Food Safety Extension Associate for Penn State Extension, provides further insight and clarification on these key items on his food safety blog.

The 2017 FDA Food Code and supplement is available for download. A complete revision of the Food Code will be published in 2021.