The FDA Food Code 2024 Supplement: Key Changes for Foodservice Operations

In 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration celebrated 30 years of the Food Code, a model that illustrates best practices for safe food handling in all establishments. Local, state, federal, and tribal agencies use the FDA food code as a model to create their food safety guidelines. It is up to each state to determine which parts of the Food Code they adopt into their state Food Code. You may want to check the FDA Food Code Adoption Dashboard to determine what your state has adopted. This link also includes additional tools and resources.

Recommendations in the Food Code are centered on science-based controls that are practical for reducing the risk of foodborne illness. The Food Code is updated every four years with Food Code Supplements in between releases of new Food Code editions that modify specific components. The next full update of the Food Code will be published in 2025. In 2024, a supplement to the Food Code was issued. This post will delve into the changes in this most recent supplement.

In order to understand and interpret the changes, it is important to know that the Food Code is divided into eight chapters and includes information on management, personnel, food, equipment, utensils, linens, water, plumbing, waste, physical facilities, poisonous or toxic materials, compliance, and enforcement. It is abbreviated “this Code,” throughout the actual document, and we will also use this language here.

Intent/Scope

The primary function of this Code is to provide consumers with honestly presented, unadulterated food while protecting public health. The scope of this Code is to set management and personnel standards and standards for food operations, facilities, and equipment. Additional items under the scope of this Code are food establishment plan reviews, permit issuance, inspection, permit suspension, and employee restrictions.

2024 Supplement

Teams from the FDA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the United States Department of Agriculture all contribute to ensuring that the Food Code and Supplements are practical and based on scientific evidence. The Supplement also ensures that the latest safety provisions are available to enhance best practices for safe food handling.

Summary of Changes

Part one of the Supplement is the summary of modifications. This is designed to give the reader a “quick view” of the changes. The 2024 Supplement addresses the following items listed in the summary below.

Clarifies disinfection of food contact, nonfood contact, and equipment surfaces.
Addresses how and when containers can be refilled/reused in a food establishment.
Adds a culture-independent diagnostic test (CIDT) for reinstatement of food employees diagnosed with Shiga Toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), Shigella, or Nontyphoidal Salmonella illness.
Expands food protection to improve awareness of food defense measures.
Updates when a Food Safety Management System is required.
Addresses the role the Person-in-charge plays in ensuring that food is correctly thawed.

Definitions

This code also includes definitions to help interpret and apply the standards. Some definitions added or amended in the supplement are active managerial control, disinfection, food defense, food safety management system, poisonous or toxic materials, reduced oxygen packaging, and water-based fire protection systems.

Amendments and Additions

Expanded the prohibition of storing equipment, utensils, linens, single-service items, or single-use articles in containers initially used for storing toxic chemicals. Previously, the section focused solely on food storage guidelines for these containers.
During thawing, the Person-in-charge must ensure that food handlers accurately maintain the temperature of time control for safety foods.
When opening a hermetically sealed container, ensure that the item’s temperature does not exceed 21°C (70°F) and remains at or below this level for up to 4 hours.
During inspections, the Person-in-charge must be able to explain the appropriate steps to avert the intentional adulteration of food products, including monitoring operations, supplies, ingredients, and completed products for suspicious activities.
Food, equipment, utensils, laundered linens, single-service, and single-use articles may not be stored near leaks or condensation from water-based fire protection systems.
Automatic handwashing facilities may be substituted for handwashing sinks in a food establishment with at least one handwashing sink if approved and appropriate for removing the types of soils present in the food operation.
A dedicated section was added in Annex 6: Food Processing Criteria to provide enhanced guidance on sushi rice acidification, including associated risks and control measures.
The Food Protection Manager Certification Board will now be called the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) rather than National Accreditation Board (ANAB).

Call to Action

Review the 2022 Food Code to understand the impact of the importance of food safety.
Review the Supplement to the 2022 Food Code (released in November 2024)
View the actual inspection report (form 3-A) from the Code and compare it to your local food inspection report.
Use the inspection report as a tool by completing an inspection using it.
Train staff in food safety continuously and annually.
Be a role model by adhering to the Code and using its language to help food workers achieve best practice standards.
Take the Food Code Course to ensure safe food handling in your food establishment.