Looking for Food Safety Training?  Upcoming Retail Food Requirement!

One of the major differences between the current Colorado Retail Food Establishment Rules and Regulations and the 2013 FDA Food Code is the requirement to have a Certified Food Protection Manager on staff.  While not required in all establishments, the majority of Retail Food Establishments will have to meet this new requirement.  According to the 2013 FDA Food Code, at least one employee that holds supervisory responsibility over food preparation practices must be a Certified Food Protection Manager who has demonstrated knowledge by passing a test as part of an accredited program.  To read about accredited food protection manager certification programs and to find a link to a directory of currently accredited programs, visit the ANSI webpage below:

Accredited Personnel Certification Programs Utilizing Conference for Food Protection (CFP) Standards  

If your management team does not currently have certification from an accredited program or if you have questions regarding your certifications, please reach out to your routine health inspector for more information.  There may be an extended implementation date to allow for retail food establishments to comply with this requirement once the regulation transition takes effect, but we want to update you on this new requirement as soon as possible.

Jefferson County Public Health provides basic food safety training through our “Excellence in Food Safety” class.   While it is a great class for food handlers, it does not meet the requirement of an accredited Certified Food Protection Manager program.  

News from the State!

Regulation Revision

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) recently began the process of revising the Colorado Retail Food Establishment Rules and Regulations. The department has made the determination to incorporate the 2013 FDA Food Code as the new Colorado Retail Food Regulations. Adoption of the FDA code allows us:

• To repair broken connections to Food and Drug Administration resources/guidance that are readily available in eight languages for both Local Public Health Agencies and industry, and;
• Aligns Colorado's Retail Food program with all other state programs that use the national standard and provides greater access to comprehensive data to assess program activities and effectiveness.

This revision process includes a stakeholder process that is essential to identify regulation differences, determine training needs of industry and regulatory staff, update data systems and understand implementation logistics and needs.  Adopting the FDA Food Code allows the State to focus resources on implementation needs versus spending an extensive amount of time to modify the Colorado Regulation.

As the program moves through the stakeholder process, information and resources will be made available through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment website at:

https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/retail-food-stakeholder-meetings