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| ARF- 2633 |
2. C.
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| Work Session |
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| Information |
| Request/Subject |
| Discussion of food code adoption, food inspection form, risk-based food inspections, food handler card testing, and food establishment review plan. |
| Background Information |
Currently, Gila County Division of Health & Emergency Services (GCDHES) operates under the 1999 Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Food Code. The latest Food Code was released on November 13, 2013. This updated Food Code provides all levels of government and industry with practical, science-based guidance and manageable provisions for mitigation known risks of food-borne illness. The 2013 Food Code reflects the input of the regulatory officials (FDA, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and U.S. Department of Health & Human Services), industry, academia, and consumers that participated in the 2012 meeting of the Conference for Food Protection. Such collaboration helps ensure the Food Code establishes sound requirements that prevent food-borne illness and injury and eliminates the most important food safety hazards in retail and food service facilities. Adopting the current 2013 FDA Food Code would put Gila County in line with the most up-to-date science-based recommendations to reduce the risk of food-borne illness, create uniform standards for retail food safety, and establish a more standardized approach to inspections.
The new food inspection form reflects the new requirements of the 2013 Food Code, as does the risk-based food inspection procedure. Currently, all food service facilities are inspected a minimum of twice a year. The purpose for the new rules is to place more emphasis on the higher risk establishments and those violations that directly contribute to food-borne illnesses. These rule amendments change the minimum required inspection frequency for food service facilities, define critical violations and explain how to deal with critical violations during an inspection.
Food handler card testing will also be changed to reflect new legislation. Currently, GCDHES issues food handler cards in an open book manner and requires that all food handlers have a Gila County card. House Bill 2436 requires that food handler training courses must meet American Society for Testing and Materials Standard E2659-09, and requires counties to accept other food handler cards as valid, so long as the training program meets this standard. In an effort to provide competitive, efficient, and convenient services to the residents of Gila County, GCDHES will be changing to an online and interactive food handling training course through a third-party handler, State Food Safety. This training ensures that residents are well informed and equipped to safely handle and serve food. Residents will be able to take this course, print out the certificate and bring it, along with proof of lawful presence, to GCDHES to receive their card. The cost of this service for each resident will be $20, an increase of $5.
With changes to the Food Code, a new food establishment plan review is proposed. It will require food establishments to fill out a packet detailing their establishment’s physical structure (water source, disposal methods, including grease, etc.), menu offerings, and food-borne illness risk reduction plan. Currently, a plan review is required; however, this update includes the new Food Code changes. |
| Evaluation |
| Without the changes proposed, GCDHES would be at greater risk for food-borne illness and this will create an undue stress and burden on Gila County food establishments and residents. |
| Conclusion |
| Due to newly released best practices, the Board of Supervisors should consider adopting the 2013 Food Code, recommended food inspections processes and forms, and food establishment review plan. |
| Recommendation |
Based on the information provided, the Health & Emergency Services Division Director recommends that the Board of Supervisors consider the changes to the Food Code, inspection process, and food handler card training.
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| Suggested Motion |
| Information/Discussion regarding the adoption of a Food Code, food inspection form, risk-based food inspections, food handler card testing, and food establishment review plan. (Michael O'Driscoll) |
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