The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published a supplement to the 2022 Food Code, which updates the code with expert recommendations made at the 2023 Biennial Meeting of the Conference for Food Protection.
CFP is a nonprofit organization that was created to provide a formal process for members of industry, regulatory, academia, and consumer and professional organizations to provide input on the development and modification of food safety guidance for food safety laws and regulations at all levels of U.S. government. FDA previously published its response to suggestions offered at the CFP 2023 Biennial Meeting.
Reflecting CFP’s recommendations, highlights of the supplement to the 2022 Food Code include:
- New provisions addressing disinfection of food contact, non-food contact, and equipment surfaces
- Clarification on and expansion of instructions for how and when containers can be refilled and reused in a food establishment
- New provisions that improve awareness of food defense measures
- Definitions of Food Safety Management System (FSMS) and Active Managerial Control, and new provisions that describe when an FSMS is required
- Updated requirements for reinstatement of food employees diagnosed with an illness from Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC), Shigella, or nontyphoidal Salmonella that include culture-independent diagnostic tests
- Enhanced information regarding sushi rice acidification risks and controls with a dedicated section in “Annex 6: Food Processing Criteria.”
The Food Code provides government and industry with practical, science-based controls for reducing the risk of foodborne illness in retail and foodservice establishments. FDA encourages its state, local, tribal, and territorial regulatory partners to adopt the current version of the FDA Food Code, including the new supplement. According to the most recent Food Code Adoption Report, at present, only three U.S. states and two territories have adopted the 2022 Food Code.
