FDA Highlights Key Food Code Recommendations for Mitigating Norovirus in Restaurants
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has completed a research study that identifies strategies to reduce the risk of contracting norovirus from the consumption of foods prepared in foodservice establishments. The study used an FDA quantitative risk assessment model that was published in 2017 to evaluate how the implementation of and compliance with FDA Food Code recommendations impacted norovirus transmission in more than 60 scenarios. Observed Food Code recommendations included those for restaurant surface cleaning and sanitizing, hand hygiene, and employee health.
The purpose of the study was to provide a basis for considering potential changes to the 2017 FDA Food Code regarding employee health. The study involved the evaluation of the dynamics of norovirus transmission from infected food employees to ready-to-eat food and consumers, as well as the assessment of the impact of prevention strategies and compliance levels on the prevalence of contaminated food and the resulting number of infected consumers. Specifically, the study evaluated each of the 60 scenarios for the following Food Code recommendations: