Food Code 2009 

Price: $69
(Price outside the U.S., Canada, and Mexico $138)
Order number: PB2009112613
Media type: Printed spiral-bound

CD version

Price: $79
(Price outside the U.S., Canada, and Mexico $159)
Order number: PB2010500038
Media type: CD-ROM (searchable) (powered by Flipviewer)

The new FDA Food Code, a model code and reference document that provides a scientifically sound technical and legal basis for regulating the retail and food service industry, is a key component of the President's overall public-health-focused food safety framework for maintaining a safe food supply.

State, city, county, tribal, and territorial agencies regulate more than 1 million restaurants, retail food stores, and vending and food service operations in institutions such as schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and child care centers. The model FDA Food Code provides the basis for most of those agencies' licensing, inspection, and enforcement activities, as well as serves as a model for their food statutes, regulations, and ordinances.

The FDA Food Code provides all levels of government with practical, science-based guidance and manageable, enforceable provisions for mitigating known risks of foodborne illness. The FDA Food Code also serves as a reference document for the retail food industry.

Significant enhancements to the 2009 FDA Food Code include:

• Each provision in the FDA Food Code is now designated as a "Priority Item," a "Priority Foundation Item," or a "Core Item," to assist the industry and regulatory community in prioritizing their food safety interventions and their inspections. These designations are based on a qualitative risk assessment and replace the use of "Critical" and "Non-Critical" designations in previous editions of the FDA Food Code.
• Cut leafy greens are now included among the foods that require time and temperature control for safety and a new supporting reference document, "Recommendations to Food Establishments for Serving or Selling Cut Leafy Greens," is summarized in Annex 2.
• Requirements are added to improve food worker awareness of food allergen concerns in the food service and retail setting.
• Serving hamburgers and other ground meats in an undercooked form upon a consumer's request is no longer an option for items offered on a children's menu.
• A new definition and criteria are added in a new FDA Food Code section for the non-continuous cooking of foods comprised of raw animal products to address the safety of this cooking method.
• Several requirements related to the effective cleaning and sanitizing of equipment and surfaces are enhanced or clarified.

Adopted by State and Local Government Health Departments Across the U.S.

The Association of Food and Drug Officials reports that 48 of the 50 States and 3 of the 6 territories have adopted food codes patterned after the FDA Food Code. These 51 states and territories represent 95 percent of the U.S. population.

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