- The requirement that the person in charge become a Certified Food Protection Manager was added. (2017 FDA Food Code)
- An exception was added to the requirement that a Certified Food Protection Manager be onsite at all times. (Supplement to the 2017 FDA Food Code)
The FDA Food Code requires that the person in charge of a foodservice operation become a Certified Food Protection Manager. That person must be onsite at all times during operating hours.
The person in charge may not be required to be onsite at all times if the regulatory authority has determined that the operation poses a minimal risk for causing a foodborne illness. That decision would be based on the type of operation and the type of food that is served or sold. Cashier-less markets and convenience stores are good examples of operations where the person in charge may not be required to be onsite at all times.
A Certified Food Protection Manager must show that he or she has the required knowledge by passing a test from an accredited program. The program must be accredited by an agency approved by a Conference for Food Protection. Completing the ServSafe Manager Course and passing the ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification Examination meets this requirement.
But, why is it so important to become certified?
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study suggests that the presence of a Certified Food Protection Manager reduces the risk of a foodborne illness outbreak for an establishment. The study also suggests that it was a distinguishing factor between restaurants that experienced a foodborne illness outbreak and those that had not. In addition, the FDA’s Retail Food Risk Factor Studies suggest that the presence of a certified manager has a positive correlation with more effective control of certain risk factors, such as poor personal hygiene.
Additional Food Code Updates are available at the ServSafe website
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