FDA Food Code Effective 2/17/23 - NVHD Revised Food Code Effective 5/1/23

Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

Food Code Adoption Announcement

The state of Connecticut adopted several portions of the FDA Food Code in 2017 and were scheduled to fully adopt and implement the FDA Food Code in its entirety by January, 2019, replacing the Connecticut Public Health Code food safety sections. Then the pandemic and other issues put a pause on this state-wide initiative.

On Thursday, February 9^th, local health departments were notified that the FDA Food Code would be posted by the Secretary of the State and go into effect on February 17, 2023. Local health departments were anticipating several months to transition from the current Connecticut Code to the FDA Food Code, unfortunately, this is not the case.

We understand that you will have many questions, as do local health departments. Attached is a copy of the new inspection form so that you can familiarize yourself and your staff with the new format and violations. The CT Department of Public Health will be providing training for our staff. In turn, we will provide training opportunities for food establishment owners and managers.

Some key points to keep in mind:

The major components of food safety and best practices have not changed. Proper handwashing, ill food worker policies, hot and cold holding temperatures, internal cooking temperatures, and cleaning and sanitizing will continue to be the primary focus of inspections.
ALL food establishments will be required to register with the Connecticut Department of Public Health before a license is issued or renewed by the Naugatuck Valley Health District. (Because the CT DPH has not yet set up registration system, this requirement is on pause. We will notify you when more information becomes available.)
All Class 2, 3, and 4 food establishments must employ a Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) who has passed a test from an approved certified food managers course. The certification must be valid and not expired. Any expired certificates will no longer be considered valid and will be required to be renewed. In addition, a CFPM will be required to always be onsite when the establishment is open for business. A copy of the approved companies offering food training courses are attached for your reference and can found on our website at NVHD.org.
A CFPM shall be onsite during all hours of operation. However, an alternate with demonstrated level of knowledge may be the person in charge during “non-peak hours.”
The new inspection report does not provide a “pass or fail” number score. Violations cited during inspections will be categorized as “Priority”, “Priority Foundation”, and “Core” that align with the risk of foodborne illness associated that violation. You will be provided a specific time period, in which a cited violation shall be resolved, and subject to re-inspection or verification. The time periods for compliance will also vary pending the risk.
NVHD’s rating system will be suspended; inspectors will remove the posted rating from each establishment during routine inspections.

The Naugatuck Valley Health District is committed to working with you throughout the transition process and will continue to provide updates and answers to your questions and concerns. NVHD inspectors will be spending additional time in the field explaining the new inspection process to you, and will be glad to answer any additional questions at that time. Alternatively, you may contact us at 203-881-3255, or send us an email at nvhdeh@nvhd.org.

We encourage you to review the 2022 FDA Food Code, the summary of changes which can be found at the FDA website: https://www.fda.gov/food/fda-food-code/food-code-2022.

The NVHD Board of Directors approved the revised NVHD Food Code at its regular meeting on April 11, 2023. NVHD held a Public Hearing on its revised Food Code on April 26, 2023. The revised NVHD Food Code is effective May 1, 2023 and may be reviewed here or by visiting the Environmental Health section of our website.