FDA Launches Food Code Reference System

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration launched its Food Code Reference System Monday in an effort to strengthen understanding and application of the FDA Food Code.  State and local agencies use the agency’s model food code to make their food safety rules more consistent with national food regulatory policy.  The new Food Code Reference System, developed and issued by the Retail Food Protection Team in FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, is a searchable database to answer user questions and contains entries from responses to Food Code-related questions posed to FDA.  The initial batch of entries addresses issues such as storing foods that require temperature control for safety, the design of food establishments, bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods, and proper hand hygiene and employee attire.  After an initial registration, system users can search the database using drop-down menus, keyword search, date fields, or a combination of these options.  FDA plans to add more entries relevant to applying the Food Code across jurisdictions.