FDA Issues 2022 Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards
Credit: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued the 2022 edition of the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (“Retail Program Standards”) to detail the key elements of an effective retail food regulatory program for state, local, tribal, and territorial regulatory agencies.
The Retail Program Standards provide recommendations for designing and managing retail food regulatory programs and help regulatory jurisdictions (or other responsible organizations) facilitate more effective inspections, implement foodborne illness prevention strategies, and identify program areas in need of improvement. FDA developed the standards with input from federal, state, and local regulatory officials, as well as industry, trade associations, academia, and consumers.
The 2022 edition of the Retail Program Standards incorporates changes based on recommendations made during the Conference for Food Protection 2020 Biennial Meeting. Some of the key changes include reformatted curriculum forms and worksheets, and the inclusion of alternative sampling methods. To see the complete list of changes, a copy of the “Summary of Changes” can be viewed and downloaded. The 2022 edition of the Retail Program Standards is also available to view and download online.
FDA encourages jurisdictions to participate in the Retail Program Standards. If a jurisdiction enrolls, it can also apply for federal funding to support its efforts, but enrollment is not required to use the worksheets and materials. Enrollment information can be downloaded on FDA.gov or by contacting an FDA Retail Food Specialist directly using the Directory of FDA Retail Food Specialists.
A complete list of jurisdictions enrolled in the Retail Program Standards is available. For questions about FDA’s Retail Program Standards, please contact RetailFoodPolicyTeam@fda.hhs.gov.
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