Conference for Food Protection

During the 2008 Conference for Food Protection Biennial Meeting, the Criticality Implementation and Education Committee was created and given the following charges as an outcome of Issue 2008 1-022:

1. Develop a training program, educational information and identify issues of concern to all stakeholders.
2. Recommend revised terminology based on focus group consideration. The recommended revised terms will be forwarded for review and acceptance to the Executive Board by December 2008.

This Issue presents the Criticality Implementation and Education Committee's report with supporting documents (Committee Members and Training Document) and requests acknowledgement of the report.

The Criticality Implementation and Education Committee worked to complete their charges by providing training materials for the implementation of the new three-tiered criticality designation of Food Code provisions and corresponding definitions. The committee debated for three months in late 2008; yet was unable to come to a consensus on terms. Consequently, the Criticality Implementation and Education Committee sent to the Executive Board the recommendation of the majority (Priority, Foundation and Core), along with the recommendation of the minority (Priority 1, Priority 2 and Priority 3). The difficult charge to form a "focal group" without funding resulted in the committee itself acting as the "focal group".

Food establishment operators are required to operate their facilities in a manner that receives, stores, prepares, packages, displays and sells safe food. There are many facets to the operation of the food establishments, but the ultimate goals are the prevention of foodborne illness and injury and to protect the consumer. The regulatory inspectors and industry must recognize, measure, and prioritize risks associated with each step of the operation. The US Food and Drug Administration Food Code has long categorized infractions or violations into two designations, "Critical and Non-Critical". The 2009 Food Code now goes further to break these two designations into three criticality designations based on risk. Providing a training tool for all stakeholders becomes valuable as a means to incorporate the use of the new designations into action plans, intervention strategies, and effectiveness measures.

1. Acknowledgement of the Criticality Implementation and Education Committee's report and recognition of the efforts committee members put forth in completion of the charges issued by the 2008 Biennial Meeting.
2. Dissolution of the committee as it has completed the charges issued by the 2008 Biennial Meeting.