Re-Launching the SafeMark® State Food Safety Training Requirements Map

By: Gwen Lee, Senior Manager, Food Safety Programs, Food Marketing Institute and Adam Friedlander, Specialist, Food Safety and Technical Services, Food Marketing Institute

Every four years, the FDA updates their Food Code to ensure all food establishments can adhere to the highest food safety principles at federal, state, local and tribal levels. Although this code is not a federally-mandated regulation, each state has at least one agency who has adopted a version of the Food Code. While some states are in the process of amending their 2013 Food Code to the 2017 update, other states continue using previous versions of the code. The FMI Center for Retail Food Safety and Defense reinvigorated the SafeMark® State Training Requirements Map to help food managers and food handlers more easily discover their specific state and local training requirements.

This interactive map compiles the most current food safety requirements onto a larger and more user-friendly interface. This tool serves as the only food safety training resource created for the food retail industry that streamlines all food manager and handler training requirements for supermarkets and other food establishments. Since all of the data was gathered through state regulatory web addresses, this map can be updated as state and local jurisdictions amend their current Food Code requirements.

SafeMark® is the only food safety training and certification program developed by retailers, for retailers. A third of the top 75 retailers use SafeMark® to train and certify employees in food safety procedures and tens of thousands of food handlers and food managers have been trained and certified using SafeMark®. The SafeMark® program integrates industry food safety best practices with food retailers so they can meet regulatory requirements, maintain consumer trust and continue their commitment to serving safe, quality food.

FMI is proud to deliver easy-to-navigate tools that connect retailers with their regulatory agency in order to drive compliance, reduce the burden of foodborne illness and facilitate a better understanding of applicable food safety training requirements.

For more information on state and local food safety requirements, please check with your jurisdictions, contact FMI at safemark@fmi.org or 202.220.0661, or visit www.fmi.org/safemark.