Building upon Arizona’s Progress towards Conformance with the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (VNRFRPS)

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Project Summary/Abstract This project aims to continue statewide efforts to conform with the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (VNRFRPS). The project focuses on updating Arizona’s retail food regulatory foundation by adopting the 2017 FDA Food Code through a formal rule making process. This would result in a regulatory environment that is consistent statewide, benefiting industry, regulators, and the citizens of Arizona. Providing a consistent retail food regulatory environment that incorporates the latest science, places greater focus on preventing foodborne illness risk factor violations through active managerial control, and emphasizes the development of strategies to correct out-of-control foodborne illness risk factors that will ultimately prevent foodborne illness outbreaks in Arizona, contribute to the nationwide effort to reduce the burdens of foodborne illness, and advance efforts for a nationally integrated food system. Other important aspects of this project include support for standards 2 and 5 of the VNRFRPS. Under Standard 2, Trained Regulatory Staff, resources will be allocated to organize statewide training events for regulatory staff and provide opportunities to meet and work with retail food regulatory agencies in other states to share best practices and innovative ways to gain conformance with the VNRFRPS. Under Standard 5, Outbreak Response, resources will be allocated to continue the creation of systems that ensure a rapid and comprehensive response to foodborne illness outbreaks when they occur. As a state leader on conformance with the VNRFRPS, ADHS will continue to collaborate with Arizona counties and tribal partners to share, create, and implement policies, procedures, and guidance that result in conformance with the VNRFRPS and that further support the development of strong, evidence- based, and prevention-focused retail food regulatory programs statewide that protect public health and ensure the safety of the national food supply.