Adoption of the FDA Food Code
March 1, 2023
To: All Food Service Facility Owners, Operators and Managers
From: Laurence Burnsed, Director of Health
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
The State of Connecticut Department of Public Health has completed the legal process for the implementation of the FDA Food Code that will result in several changes in the inspection and permitting process for all food service facilities across the State. The following is a list of some of the key changes that recently went into effect:
Health Department staff will no longer use the inspection form that utilized a scoring system with defined situations which could result in “failing” inspections. New FDA-based inspection forms will be used which do not provide a numerical score, but instead violations are categorized according to the risk potential for causing foodborne illness. Violations cited during inspections will be categorized as “Priority”, “Priority Foundation”, and “Core” that align with the risk of foodborne illness associated with that violation. You will be provided a specific time period in which a cited violation shall be resolved, and subject to re-inspection or verification. The time periods for compliance will vary depending on the risk.
Class II, III, & IV food establishments are required to have trained Certified Food Protection Managers. Additionally, a CFPM will be required to always be onsite when the establishment is open for business. All CFPM certifications must be current and unexpired. A list of approved testing organizations can be found at this link: ANAB - ANSI National Accreditation Board
Product date marking will be required to ensure all refrigerated food is consumed within 7 days.
Temperature indicators for measuring utensil surface temperatures in hot water dishwashing machines must be available. These indicators can include either a min/max thermometer or temperature indicator strips.
At some point in the future, ALL food establishments will be required to register with the Connecticut Department of Public Health before permits can be renewed or issued by this Department. Details on that process will be circulated as they become available.
The East Hartford Health Department realizes that this will be a transition both for you as well as for our staff as we work to implement these new regulations. We understand that changes of this magnitude can generate many questions. We are however, committed to working with you throughout the process as we collectively ensure the quality of your product, and the health and safety of your patrons. As additional information becomes available from the Connecticut Department of Public Health we will continue to provide updates.
In the meantime, we encourage you to work with your EHHD inspector as they conduct their inspections using the new inspection form. Our inspectors will be spending extra time in the field explaining the new inspection process to you, and will be glad to answer any additional questions at that time. We encourage you to review the online version of the 2022 FDA Model Food Code or call our office at (860) 291-7324 if you have any questions.