The National Supermarket Association will be conducting a Food Safety Course

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO RETAIL FOOD STORE OPERATORS

Food Safety Education Certification

Amendment to NY Agriculture & Markets Law

Article 20-C of the New York Agricultural & Markets

Law was recently amended to establish a food safety certification requirement for certain retail food stores, which prepare food on the premises.

The amendments would require, with certain exceptions for small establishments, that every retail food store that applies for a food processing establishment license furnish evidence that an individual from within the store has been recognized as having completed an approved food safety program. The license application will be required to be accompanied by documentation, which demonstrates that this food safety education requirement has been met.

In most cases this documentation will be a certificate indicating an individual in a position of management or control has attended an approved course. A failure to comply with the education requirements would result in the denial of the food-processing license.

This requirement does not apply to a food store that has as its only full time employees the owner or the parent, spouse or child of the owner, or in addition not more than two full time employees. It would also not apply to a food store that has an annual gross sale in the previous calendar year of less than $3,000,000.

The food safety education programs established by this amendment would be required not to be less than 8 hours long and cover one or more of the following specified topics:

• New York State food safety statutes and regulations Food borne illness

• Food microbiology

• HACCP

• Cleaning and sanitation

• Personal hygiene

• Temperature control

• Food security

• Pest control

 **Recertification will be required every 2 years when the food-processing License is renewed.