990273 FDA Issues Food Safety Guidelines

New York - The Food and Drug Administration released its 1999 Food Code. The Code -- a “compendium of model food safety guidelines” -- is updated every 2 years and is designed to function as a reference for state and local agencies that oversee food safety in retail areas such as restaurants and grocery stores, and in institutional settings such as nursing homes.

“In addition, many within all levels of the food industry may voluntarily follow the guidance and use the new recommendations to improve their operations,” according to an FDA statement.

Among the changes in this year's update are:

-- enhanced safety protections for raw shell eggs, raw seed sprouts and juices;

-- clarification of guidelines on dealing with bare-hand contact with food;

-- modification of the time and temperature for cooking hamburgers and pork;

-- safe handling instructions for retail operations that package meat and poultry;

-- and, modification of recommendations “related to reduced oxygen packaging to more clearly address Clostridium botulinum as a potential hazard in certain packaging processes.”

“This year's edition of the Food Code details important progress in our efforts to monitor and prevent foodborne diseases where hazards can occur in retail settings,” said FDA Commissioner Dr. Jane E. Henney.

Copies of the Code are available on the Internet at http://www.vm.cfsan.fda.gov/list.html.

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