Amendments to the Alaska Food Code adopted by the Department of Environmental Conservation on November 21, 2006 went into effect on December 28, 2006. The biggest change to the Alaska Food Code is the requirement for food establishments to have a trained workforce. Each establishment will need to have at least one Certified Food Protection Manager on staff and food workers will need to have a Food Worker Card issued by the Food Safety and Sanitation Program. Establishments will have up to one year to meet the new training requirements. Training, testing, and payment for the Food Worker Card should be available online in early February 2007. Testing by mail and during courses offered by the department and through third parties will also be available at that time. The Food Worker Card will cost $10 per food worker and be good for 3 years; however no fee will be charged until July 1, 2007.
Other big changes designed to encourage food establishments to ensure safe food on a day to day basis, include a voluntary recognition program for establishments which develop and implement food safety management systems, and a provision prohibiting bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods. The new Alaska Food Code includes a graduated civil penalty schedule to assist in encouraging food establishments with on-going problems to quickly address them. There are also numerous updates to bring Food Code provisions in line with the 2005 Food and Drug Administration Model Food Code.
The Alaska Food Code is available online by clicking on Chapter 31 Food Service, at DEC - Regulations. The program will be publishing material in January to explain the new changes. The material will be mailed to permitted food establishments and will also be available online and through our field offices.
Please check back regularly for more information. The program is developing a number of documents which will be posted as they are completed to help food establishments learn about the new Alaska Food Code.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact the Food Safety and Sanitation Program at 1-87-SAFE-FOOD.
More Information:
ListServ: Click on the link below to add your name to ADEC's Food Safety and Sanitation Program's ListServ to receive updates on regulation changes, food safety alerts/recalls, and special food safety related events.
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