Snapshot Reducing Foodborne Risks

Each year in the U.S., approximately 48 million people fall ill, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die from foodborne diseases according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 

The FDA Food Code serves as a model for states, offering scientifically based guidelines to regulate retail food establishments. Only about one-quarter of states have adopted the latest version.

Foodborne illnesses associated with major pathogens cost the U.S. economy between $14.1 billion to $15.2 billion annually. The Food Safety Modernization Act aims to mitigate these costs by enhancing regulatory oversight and collaboration between federal, state, and local authorities. 

The patchwork of state food safety regulations poses significant challenges for restaurants, with inconsistent standards increasing the risk of foodborne illnesses and economic costs.

States enact crucial legislation to safeguard food safety, including regulations on meat and dairy product safety, labeling for plant-based alternatives, and measures to reduce food waste, aiming to mitigate economic losses and enhance public health protections.

New York S 509 2023 (enacted) requires internet-based food delivery services to post a hyperlink to the city's health department food lookup tool for recent inspection data.

Indiana HB 1288 2024 (enacted) requires a local health department to issue a mobile retail food establishment permit and inspect a mobile retail food establishment in accordance with administrative rules adopted by the State Department of Health.

Maryland HB 97 2024 (enacted) requires manufacturers of baby food to conduct certain testing on baby food for toxic heavy metals before packaging individual units of baby food for sale or distribution.

Virginia S 1546 2022 (enacted) requires any operation that prepares or stores food for child or adult care centers or schools, regardless of whether the receiving day care center or school holds a restaurant license within the definition of restaurant.

California AB 3336 2020 (enacted) requires ready-to-eat food delivered through third-party platforms to be transported in a way that protects it from contamination and mandates that all bags or containers are sealed with a tamper-evident method by the food facility before the delivery driver takes possession.