Food Protection

Environmental health practitioners are the front-line troops in the protection of food. They conduct regular inspections and provide education on a daily basis to prevent foodborne outbreaks. When foodborne illness outbreaks do occur, practitioners respond to determine the cause and source.

This section provides specific information on how practitioners can effectively prevent and respond to foodborne outbreaks and emphasizes food-security related issues.

CDC Food Safety – conducts surveillance on foodborne diseases related to bacterial, parasitic, viral, and noninfectious agents

• A-Z Index for Foodborne Illness
• Foodborne Disease Outbreak Investigation and Surveillance Tools
• Foodborne Outbreak Tracking and Reporting

CDC Outbreak Response Team – conducts surveillance on foodborne infections and outbreaks and assists with investigation of foodborne disease outbreaks

CDC Emergency Preparedness and Response – how to prepare, plan, and respond to food safety after disasters:

• Food, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Information for Use Before and After a Disaster or Emergency
• Keep Food and Water Safe After a Disaster or Emergency

Links to information from outside CDC

Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO)external icon

• Defining Food Safety: A Glossary of Termsexternal icon – glossary of environmental health professionals may see in their role of protecting public health in food safety

Emergency Action Plans for Retail Food Establishmentsexternal icon (Michigan Department of Agriculture) – guide for retail grocery and food service establishments to plan and respond to emergencies that create the potential for an imminent health hazard

Facilitator’s Guide to Foodborne Illness Tabletopexternal icon (Public Health Foundation) – course to assist facilitators of the tabletop exercise in successfully running the exercise [register hereexternal icon first]

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutritionexternal icon – information about ensuring that the nation’s food supply is safe, sanitary, wholesome, and honestly labeled:

• Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP)external icon (Food and Drug Administration) – program that focuses on preventing hazards that could cause foodborne illnesses

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Defense & Emergency Responseexternal icon – information about preparing for and responding to intentional contamination of food products:

• Bioterrorism Act 2002external icon – plans to implement the act
• Guidance for Industry: Food Producers, Processors, and Transporters: Food Security Preventive Measures Guidanceexternal icon
• Food Related Emergency Exercise Bundle (FREE-B)external icon – is a compilation of scenarios based on both intentional and unintentional food contamination events.
• Restaurants and Grocers Reopening After Hurricanes and Floodingexternal icon

FoodSafety.govexternal icon – government food safety information

Guidelines for Foodborne Disease Outbreak Responseexternal icon (Council to Improve Foodborne Outbreak Response) – comprehensive information for individuals and organizations involved in foodborne disease

National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO)external icon – food safety tools from across the nation

• Emergency Handbook for Food Managers pdf icon[PDF – 397 KB] – quick-reference guide of emergency information for food managers and other supervisory personnel at food service establishments
  • Handbook Companion Discussion Guide pdf icon[PDF – 177 KB]
  • Photo Lessons pdf icon[PDF – 964 KB]
  • Photo Lessons in Spanish pdf icon[PDF – 992 KB]
• Food Safety & Security Self Audit Checklistexternal icon – self-audit checklist for food managers that integrates food defense and emergency readiness into elements of food safety management

Safe Handling of Food and Water in a Hurricane or Related Disasterexternal icon – food handling recommendations for disaster and emergency situations

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)external icon

• A Biosecurity Checklist for School Foodservice Programs pdf icon[PDF – 444 KB]external icon
• Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)external icon – agency that ensures the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged
  • Food Safety Factsheets: Emergency Preparednessexternal icon
  • FSIS/FDA Guidelines for Retail and Foodservice Establishments Affected by Natural or Other Disasters pdf icon[PDF – 60 KB]external icon
• USDA / NAL Food Safety Information Centerexternal icon – resources for food safety research information

World Health Organization (WHO)external icon

• Environmental Health in Emergencies and Disasters: A Practical Guide Chapter 9 – Food Safetyexternal icon
• Terrorists Threats to Food: Guidance for Establishing and Strengthening Prevention and Response Systems pdf icon[PDF – 385 KB]external icon – guide to prevent, detect, and respond to the deliberate contamination of food