FDA Issues 2009 FDA Food Code

The FDA released the 2009 FDA Food Code last week.  Here's an excerpt from the Press Announcement:

The 2009 edition of the Food Code is the seventh full edition published by the FDA. The previous full edition was released in 2005 with a supplement published in 2007.

Significant enhancements to the 2009 FDA Food Code include:

• Each provision in the FDA Food Code is now designated as a “Priority Item,” a “Priority Foundation Item,” or a “Core Item,” to assist the industry and regulatory community in prioritizing their food safety interventions and their inspections.  These designations are based on a qualitative risk assessment and replace the use of “Critical” and “Non-Critical” designations in previous editions of the FDA Food Code. 
• Cut leafy greens are now included among the foods that require time and temperature control for safety and a new supporting reference document, “Recommendations to Food Establishments for Serving or Selling Cut Leafy Greens,” is summarized in Annex 2.
  
• Requirements are added to improve food worker awareness of food allergen concerns in the food service and retail setting.
  
• Serving hamburgers and other ground meats in an undercooked form upon a consumer’s request is no longer an option for items offered on a children’s menu.
  
• A new definition and criteria are added in a new FDA Food Code section for the non-continuous cooking of foods comprised of raw animal products to address the safety of this cooking method.
  
• Several requirements related to the effective cleaning and sanitizing of equipment and surfaces are enhanced or clarified.

Here's the Code itself: FDA 2009 Food Code