NEHA September 2023 Journal of Environmental Health

ADVANCEMENT OF THE PRACTICE

FIGURE 1

Postcard Mailed to State Legislators That Shows Adoption Status of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Code by State With Information About the Importance of Adoption and Food Safety

Food Code Adoption by State

What version(s) of FDA Food Code are adopted by each state?

Did you know? Foodborne illnesses cost the U.S. economy $10-83 billion per year according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

2017 2013 2009 2005

2001 1995 Follows state code * Recent version adopted by reference

This map reflects Food Code adoption as of November 2021. Certain states have multiple agencies that regulate retail food safety and may use different versions of the Food Code. For more detailed information, go to the Retail Food Safety Regulatory Association Collaborative’s website at bit.ly/FCAdoptionTK

MT ND

IA IL

PA*

CT*

OR NV

MS AL

Note. Postcard reprinted with permission from the National Conference of State Legislatures.

communities in South Dakota might be at higher risk of a norovirus outbreak because the 1995 Food Code does not require a writ- ten cleanup procedure for vomit or diarrhea accidents in food service. Norovirus is the leading cause of illness and outbreaks from contaminated food in the U.S. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). This methodology for adoption support is still underway; results and findings will be used to improve future targeted approaches and further inform the development and con- tent of the Toolkit. Future Toolkit develop- ment likely will include the addition of tools and resources specific to legislators. Specific Initiatives for Decision Makers To raise awareness and support among decision makers, a postcard that highlighted the ben- efi ts of Food Code adoption was developed and distributed to legislators across the U.S. (Retail Food Safety Regulatory Association Collabora-

tive, 2022; Figure 1). The postcard contained information on key food safety concerns and simplified data on each state’s current status of Food Code adoption. The postcard was sent to more than 1,500 state legislators in winter 2021 and set the stage for discussions around Food Code adoption in states across the coun- try. This initiative emphasized the dierences in Food Code edition adoption around the U.S. and sparked discussions between decision makers and both Collaborative members and regulatory program administrators. Data Collection Projects The Collaborative has undertaken several data collection projects in an eort to advance understanding of the complex landscape of Food Code adoption, retail food safety regu- lation (including statutes and regulatory authorities), challenges and barriers facing SLTT jurisdictions, and other factors that a ect Food Code adoption.

The Food Code Adoption Map displays ocial statutory or regulatory citations that authorize the use of a specific Food Code for retail food safety in each state. The Food Code can be adopted either by the state leg- islature or a state agency. This map is part of the Food Code Adoption Toolkit and is a powerful tool to understand how states com- pare with each other. Additionally, surveys have been conducted to develop a fuller picture of needs, nuances of regulatory authority, and barriers to Food Code adoption within states. Individuals sur- veyed include program managers from all 50 state food programs who have responsibil- ity for retail food safety; also surveyed were senior corporate or franchise food safety leaders in the restaurant, grocery, and con- venience store segments. The results of these surveys will be used by the Collaborative to identify further needs and inform future strategies to advance Food Code adoption.

Volume 86 • Number 2