A Collaborative Approach to National Food Code Adoption.

FOOD poisoning prevention; FOOD contamination prevention; FOOD safety; FOOD labeling; UNITED States. Food & Drug Administration; GOVERNMENT agencies; FOOD handling

The Food and Drug Administration Food Code is a set of science-based food safety guidelines that serve as the basis for jurisdictional food codes that regulate retail food service in the U.S. Uniform adoption of the Food Code has benefi ts for government, industry, and the public. Compliance with code provisions helps reduce risk of foodborne illness in retail establishments. Only 18 states, however, have adopted the most recent edition of the Food Code (Food and Drug Administration, 2023). The Retail Food Safety Regulatory Association Collaborative (Collaborative) has undertaken a multipronged approach that leverages the resources and strengths of its six organizations to support adoption of the Food Code. Through these approaches, the Collaborative aims to provide the tools, resources, and support needed to navigate the sometimes complex nature of adoption. This special report provides a summary of the different activities and approaches of the Collaborative to support national Food Code adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]