Explore Resources From the Retail Food Safety Regulatory Association Collaborative That Your Food Safety Program Can Use FIGURE 1
• Food Code Adoption Toolkit • Foodborne Illness Outbreak Resource Library • Active Managerial Control Incentive Programs: Examples From Jurisdictions Leading the Way • Issue Brief on Retail Program Standards Networks • Study on Factors Influencing the Implementation of Risk-Based Inspections • Study on Implementation of Effective Intervention Strategies
State-Level Food Code Adoption by Version Year
Find these resources and more at www.retailfoodsafetycollaborative.org.
Map of Food and Drug Administration Food Code adoption from the Food Code Adoption Toolkit. N/A = not applicable.
2016) and a plain language summary (CDC, 2022) documenting that adoption of Food Code provisions is linked with lower rates of foodborne norovirus outbreaks. Learning How Programs Meet the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards Members of the Collaborative researched how regulatory food safety programs are meeting the FDA Voluntary National Retail Food Regula- tory Program Standards, including the benefits of participating in state- and region-wide net- works focused on supporting programs to meet the standards. Extensive qualitative research revealed these networks played a huge role in helping participating programs. Specifically, the networks helped programs meet the stan- dards more eciently, facilitated resource shar- ing among jurisdictions beyond the standards, and strengthened communication among pro- grams and state and federal agencies. Exploring the Foodborne Illness Outbreak Resource Library This open-access library houses materials to support foodborne illness outbreak investiga- tions that food safety programs wanted but had trouble finding, according to a survey conducted by the Collaborative (National
Environmental Health Association & Retail Food Safety Regulatory Association Col- laborative, 2022). These resources include a printable guide to help identify the roles and responsibilities of team members dur- ing an outbreak investigation, an interactive case study exercise based on an outbreak at a hotel, and instructions for collecting various types of environmental samples. This library focuses on ready-to-use mate- rials addressing various aspects of foodborne illness outbreaks. Resources include tools and links to training on such topics as interviewing restaurant sta members, collecting clinical and environmental samples, using pathogen- specific guidance, communicating with the media, and completing after-action reports. It also features links to well-known resources, such as the CDC Environmental Assessment Training Series and the Council to Improve Foodborne Outbreak Response Guidelines for Foodborne Disease Outbreak Response . Discovering How Jurisdictions Lead the Way With Active
control (AMC) is when retail food establish- ments proactively incorporate specific actions and procedures into their operations to control hazards and reduce risks that cause foodborne illness outbreaks. To help encourage these practices, regulatory food safety programs can create AMC incentive programs to help shift the retail culture from a reactive mindset to a proactive approach to food safety. The Collaborative asked regulatory food safety programs to identify key materials and resources they used to promote AMC, includ- ing incentive programs. In the words of one respondent, facilities that participate in the AMC incentive program have “fewer violations and have been able to conduct fewer inspec- tions. It is a very positive outcome for both the facility and the health department” (National Environmental Health Association & Retail Food Safety Regulatory Association Collabora- tive, 2021). Explore the resources other regu- latory food safety programs have developed to educate and support restaurants in using AMC, including educational classes, sample templates, and an AMC self-assessment. Exploring Other Resources and Getting Involved The Collaborative website houses a repository of tools and resources for food safety profes- sionals at all levels (Figure 1), including stud-
Managerial Control Incentive Programs
Certified food protection managers can play an important role in creating safe food poli- cies in their restaurants and actively ensuring those policies are followed. Active managerial
39
September 2023 • Journal of Environmental Health
Powered by FlippingBook