Conference for Food Protection

2018 Biennial Meeting

Issue View | Council II | 2018 Scribe Packet

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Issue Number: Council II 014

Issue History

This is a brand new Issue.

Title

PSC 2 - Improvements to VNRFRPS

Issue you would like the Conference to consider

The Program Standards Committee has completed the charges 1 and 3 outlined in the recommendation for Issue 2016 II-009, and the Committee is requesting the proposed recommendations be sent to the FDA as improvements to the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (VNRFRPS.)

Public Health Significance

The Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (VNRFRPS) offers a systematic approach, through a continuous improvement process, to enhance retail food regulatory programs. To address charges 1 and 3 from Issue 2016 II-009, the subcommittee reviewed each Standard of the VNRFRPS to identify areas in which they could be modified or improved to increase enrollment, implementation and support regulatory efforts as they relate to the VNRFRPS.

Recommended Solution: The Conference recommends...

that a letter be sent to the FDA requesting that the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (VNRFRPS) be amended by addressing the following:

1) Standard 1: Recognize that enrolled regulatory agencies, especially local regulators, may not have control over their retail food regulations. Recognize efforts made to achieve this standard when the gap can be documented by the enrollee as part of their Standard 1 self-assessment.

2) Standard 2: Include plan review processes in the training of regulatory staff to facilitate construction that supports a reduction in the occurrence of foodborne illness risk factors. This will ensure that staff that only conduct plan review activities can be trained to Standard 2.

3) Standard 5: Ensure future edits of Standard 5 align with the most recent Council to Improve Foodborne Outbreak Response (CIFOR) guidelines.

4) For the Listing of Jurisdictions Enrolled in the VNRFRPS on the FDA's website:

a. Provide a means to identify/recognize enrolled jurisdictions that are self-reporting partial achievement of a Standard. For example, place an asterisk (*) by an agency's name under that particular VNRFRPS Standard to denote partial achievement and a footnote that states the reason why the jurisdiction cannot fully meet the Standard.

b. Modify the document to allow jurisdictions to self-identify their interest in auditing particular VNRFRPS Standard(s). For example, collaborate with National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) to identify auditors through their mentorship program.

c. Incorporate the Clearinghouse Work Group Questions and Answers document into the VNRFRPS Standards whenever possible, such as inclusion of hyperlinks to the documents in the Self-Assessment and Verification Audit instructions.

5. Encourage agencies to use the Self-Assessment - Audit Verification Summary & Gap Analysis tool to assist with documenting partial completion of the VNRFRPS Standards. (see Issue titled: Report - Program Standards Committee (PSC); supporting attachment titled: Self-Assessment-Audit Verification Summary & Gap Analysis Audit)

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