FDA reports high enrollment in Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards.The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) National Retail Food Team reports that more than 265 state, local, and tribal governments have enrolled in FDA's Draft Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards. The program standards are designed to help reduce foodborne illness A foodborne illness (also foodborne disease) is any illness resulting from the consumption of food. Although foodborne illness is commonly called food poisoning, this is often a misnomer. associated with retail food and food service establishments by promoting continuous improvement of food safety inspection programs. Enrollees include retail food regulatory programs from 45 states, the territories of Guam, Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (pwār`tō rē`kō), island (2005 est. pop. 3,917,000), 3,508 sq mi (9,086 sq km), West Indies, c.1,000 mi (1,610 km) SE of Miami, Fla. , the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands Northern Mariana Islands (märēä`nä), commonwealth associated with the United States (2005 est. pop. 80,400), c.185 sq mi (479 sq km), comprising 16 islands (6 inhabited) of the Marianas chain (all except Guam), in the W Pacific , the National Park Service, several Native American tribes, and one academic institution. A complete list of enrolled jurisdictions may be viewed at www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/ret-jur.html. Specialists continue to work closely with regulatory programs across the country to encourage enrollment and successful application of the program standards. The program standards represent a high-level benchmark to which retail food regulatory programs should aspire as·pire intr.v. as·pired, as·pir·ing, as·pires 1. To have a great ambition or ultimate goal; desire strongly: aspired to stardom. 2. . Specifically they promote * Adoption of science-based rules and regulations, like the FDA Food Code, * improvements in staff training and standardization standardization In industry, the development and application of standards that make it possible to manufacture a large volume of interchangeable parts. Standardization may focus on engineering standards, such as properties of materials, fits and tolerances, and drafting , * implementation of risk-based inspection programs based on hazard analysis A hazard analysis is a process used to characterize the elements of risk. The results of a hazard analysis is the identification of unacceptable risks and the selection of means of controlling or eliminating them. and critical control point (HACCP HACCP hazard analysis critical control points. ) principles, * enhanced quality assurance programs, * development and implementation of outbreak and food defense surveillance and response plans, * increases in staffing levels or program resources, * development and implementation of strategic plans designed to reduce the occurrence of foodborne-illness risk factors, * enhanced communication and collaboration with industry and consumers, and * improved accountability through the establishment of baseline information on the occurrence of foodborne-illness risk factors that can be used to achieve measurable program outcomes. The Draft Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards are available at www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/ret3toc.html. |
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