U. S. Department of Health and Human Services
Public Health Service
Food and Drug Administration
1997 Food Code
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Summary of Changes
in the FDA Food Code
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This Summary provides a synopsis of the textual changes from the 1995 FDA Food Code
Chapters and Annexes to the 1997 edition. The primary intent of this record is to capture the
nature of the changes rather than to identify every word or editing change. This record
should not be relied upon as an absolute comparison that identifies each and every change.
General:
- Numerous editing changes were made throughout the document for internal
consistency, to correct some errors in the '95 Code, to use defined terms consistently
and eliminate redundancies, and to standardize the Code's structural premise and its
application with respect to the use of certain conventions. Those conventions include
italicized language; the use of the numbering system and the words "under" and "in"
for purposes of designating debitable violations; and converting to "if"-based
requirements, several provisions previously written as exceptions but numbered as
debitable items.
- Defined words and terms are in small capital letters throughout the Chapters and
Annex 1 to highlight that they have a specific meaning within the context of the Code.
Refer to the Preface, Information to Assist the Reader for a discussion of this feature.
- Section numbers and definition numbers listed refer to the 1995 Code unless
otherwise noted. Renumbering occurred in the 1997 edition, based on the
changes made.
Chapter 1:
Chapter 2:
Chapter 3:
Note: Adjustments were made throughout Chapter 3 to accommodate the allowance
for storage of potentially hazardous food at 45°F under certain conditions.
- "Less than or equal to 4.5 kg (10 lbs)" changed to "Less than 4.5 kg (10 lbs)"
- "Greater than 4.5 kg (10 lbs)" reads "4.5 kg (10 lbs) or more"
- The temperature specified for convection oven cooking of roasts weighing
4.5 kg or more changed from 163° to 121°
- Conveys that the temperatures specified for Still Dry and Convection ovens
mean that a roast may be cooked safely at a temperature as low as those
specified (i.e., a minimum)
- The temperatures specified for High Humidity cooking mean the temperature
specified or a lesser temperature that will deliver the cook/hold time and temperature
- Corrected the oven temperature requirement for >10 lbs in a convection oven
3-401.15 (3-401.12 in the '97 Code) addressed microwave industry's information/concerns by specifying 165F throughout the food
3-401.13 a new section ("Plant Foods") added to address the proper cooking of
vegetables & fruits for hot holding; Part 3-4 previously addressed cooking only as it
applied to raw animal-derived foods
3-402.11 & .12 changed (CFP 96-01-11)
3-402.11 updated to reflect Seafood HACCP rule which recognizes certain species of
tuna do not need to be frozen to prevent parasitic infection if ingested in raw state
3-403.11 (B) changed to read: "... food reheated in a microwave oven for hot
holding ..."
3-403.11 changed ¶(D) to only require the rapid (2 Hour) reheat between the required refrigeration temperature and 165°F
3-403.12 §3-403.10
3-501.12 - .14 updated to recognize existing equipment per revised ¶3-501.16 (C)
(CFP 96-03-21)
3-501.14(D) added to specify that shell eggs placed upon receipt in a refrigerated unit
that is capable of maintaining food at the required temperature constitutes satisfactory compliance
3-501.16 (C)& .18 (A) revised cold holding provisions relating to existing equipment
but did not include a consume-by date for the food which was part of the proposed
language (CFP 96-03-21 and AFDO); ¶(A) cross references the allowance in ¶3-403.11(E) for reheating roasts using the roast cooking chart
3-501.17 and .18 revised and restructured to: clarify when date marking is to be done;
address the use of foods that require date marking and that are frozen at some point
in between preparation and the number of days at which they must be consumed;
indicate the number of days allowed at 41°F and 45°F; and specify the situations
under which marked or unmarked food is to be discarded
3-501.19 (A) revised for clarity; (B) revised to read "... cooked and served, served if
ready-to-eat, or discarded." Changed to add clarification to the methods of marking
and disposition of the food at the end of 4 hours
3-502.11 modified to include adding components (in addition to "food additives")
for either food preservation or as a means of making a food not potentially hazardous;
clarified that variance applies to ROP foods where a C. bot. barrier in addition to
refrigeration exists
3-502.12 (A)(2)(c) revised to recognize alternatives for curing meat and poultry in USDA CFR
3-601.11 updated to encompass all standards of identity
3-602.11 expanded for clarity and to provide more detailed information regarding
labeling requirements
3-602.11 and 3-602.12 rewritten so that certain findings will not rationally be judged
as violating either or both of these sections
3-603.11 Inserted page explaining current status of consumer advisory
3-801.11 created new part, subpart, section to combine food restrictions for
highly susceptible populations in one provision; added requirement for the use of
pasteurized (or commercially sterile, shelf-stable) apple cider, apple juice, and other
beverages containing apple juice; requires substituting pasteurized eggs for "raw shell
eggs" to recognize in-shell pasteurization process; ¶(D) refers to "raw-marinated" fish
(CFP 96-01-11)
Chapter 4:
Note: Adjustments were made in Chapter 4 to accommodate the allowance for storage
of potentially hazardous food at 45°F under certain conditions.
- added a requirement for a pressure measuring device such as a gauge or
electronic transducer
- eliminated the requirement for a 1/4 inch IPS valve except where the pressure
measuring device is installed on the line pressure side of the solenoid valve
(see NSF #3, 5.1.12.2)
4-205.10 added new subpart and section to address equipment that is certified or
classified by ANSI-accredited certifying organizations (CFP 92-01-02/94-01-03)
4-301.12 (D)(2)(d) added to address hot water sanitization in a 2-compartment sink
4-401.11 deleted one inappropriate cross reference
4-501.110 (A)(1) use of "single tank" redundant and deleted; see NSF #3; order
rearranged to keep similar types of machines together
4-501.112 restructured and clarified to alleviate misinterpretation regarding the intent
of the maximum temperature component (90°C/194°F) of this provision; it does not
apply to wand-type hand-held high pressure (high temperature) now widely used for
cleaning/sanitizing equipment such as meat saws, etc. In (A), "single tank" was
redundant and was deleted; see NSF Standard #3, Table one
4-501.113 changed to "immediately downstream or" to be consistent with §4-204.117
4-501.114 (C)(3) changed to a maximum of 500 ppm hardness or not to exceed the hardness level specified by the manufacturer
4-502.11 (A) changed to address repair of water and ambient TMDs (Food TMDs
are included under the definition of "utensil") and Pressure Measuring Devices
4-502.13 included interpretation in the Code regarding dispensing tube on bulk
milk machines; cut on diagonal leaving no longer than one inch protruding from chilled
dispensing head
4-502.15 deleted entire section; combined with §3-304.14
4-602.11 expanded to address cleaning of equipment such as reach-in refrigerators,
surfaces contacting food that is not potentially hazardous, and food storage
equipment used for food that is not potentially hazardous, e.g., iced tea and soft drink
dispensers and coffee bean grinders
4-701.11 changed 4-701.10 and added an asterisk to §4-702.11
4-703.11 (C) recognized 7 seconds contact time for chlorine solution of 50 mg/L
based on NSF study (CFP Executive Board discussion re FDA response to CFP 96-03-33)
Chapter 5:
Chapter 6:
Chapter 7:
Chapter 8:
Annex 1:
Annex 2:
Annex 3:
Annexes 4 & 5:
Annex 6:
Annex 7:
Acronyms:
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