Food and Food Handling Code

• About the Food Code 
• Adoption of the 2009 FDA Model Food Code 
• Viewing the FDA Model Food Code 
• Training Resources (UPDATE)

Food Safety  /  EH Main Page 

About the Food Code

The City of Alexandria's Food and Food Handling Code can be found in Title 11, Chapter 2 of The Code of the City of Alexandria, Virginia, 1981 at the City Council's webpage: City Charter and Code. 

In general, Chapter 2 adopts the 2009 FDA Model Food Code with a few deviations and establishes several regulations specific to the City of Alexandria.  These regulations include additional requirements for mobile food vendors (MFV), vending machines that sell potentially hazardous food (PHF), certified food manager requirements, procedures to obtain a permit or variance, hearings, closures, plan reviews, etc.

City Council Main Page
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Adoption of the 2009 FDA Model Food Code

On June 12, 2010, the Alexandria City Council, by unanimous vote, amended Chapter 2 ("Food and Food Establishments"), Title 11 ("Health Environmental and Sanitary Regulations") of the Alexandria City Code by:

• adopting the 2009 FDA Model Food Code
• changes in the definition of a limited food establishment
• changes to the demonstration of knowledge requirement
• additional methods of compliance for facilities wishing to perform reduced oxygen packaging
• a new requirement for cut leafy greens

For an overview of these changes, please review this presentation (.pdf).  These changes became effective on July 1, 2010.

The complete text of the ordinance adopting these changes can be access form the City Council's webpage for June 12, 2010.

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Viewing the FDA Model Code

The U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) publishes the Food Code, a model that assists food control jurisdictions at all levels of government by providing them with a scientifically sound technical and legal basis for regulating the retail and food service segment of the industry (restaurants and grocery stores and institutions such as nursing homes). Local, state, tribal, and federal regulators use the FDA Food Code as a model to develop or update their own food safety rules and to be consistent with national food regulatory policy.

The FDA has posted the 2009 model food code on their website, at http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/RetailFoodProtection/FoodCode/default.htm. 

We are pleased to announce the web posting of the 2009 FDA Food Code in Spanish!
 
The 2009 FDA Food Code in Spanish can be accessed by using the following web link for the 2009 Food Code web page:
 
http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/RetailFoodProtection/FoodCode/FoodCode2009/ucm283454.htm
 

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Training Resources

The Health Department provided FREE training at the Lee Center for restaurant operators on the hanges in the 2009 FDA Model Food Code on July 1, 2010.  Please see the hand-outs below.

• Food Code Training on July 1, 2010 (.pdf)
• Demonstration of Knowledge Guide for CFMs (.pdf)
• Non-Continuous Cooking Guide for Raw Animal (.pdf)
• Time As Public Health (.pdf)
• Process HACCP Background (.pdf)

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