Upcoming Changes to the District's Food Safety Standards

Some of you have heard about the upcoming changes to the District’s food safety standards ---- These standards are called the District’s “Food Code”.

The District’s New Food Code is made up of requirements you now have to meet plus many new requirements. The new Food Code will go into effect on June 6, 2003. When this New Food Code goes into effect, it will impact your food operation. You will, however, be given time to comply with some of the new requirements.

The Department of Health plans to work closely with you to ensure that you can meet these new requirements. We will do this in a number of ways:

• We will treat existing food operations differently from new food operations;
• We will distinguish between the new requirements which you can easily meet and the new requirements which will require more time to meet (See Charts here*);
• We will work closely with small operators;
• We will partner with trade associations, business and ethnic groups;
• We will provide you with helpful information; and 
• Our inspectors will spend time with you to assist you in learning about the New Food Code.

Do you need to do anything now to prepare for June 6th? Not at this time. The Department will provide you with more detailed information on June 6th.