Food Safety & Allergies
Resource Links
A REGULATOR’S GUIDE: Validation and Verification of HACCP Plans in Retail Food Establishments
Developed with MEHA support by Pamela Ross-Kung of Safe Food Management
The overall goal of this guidance document is to assist regulators with identifying specialized processes or operations that require a variance and/or a HACCP plan when conducted in a retail food establishment. It should also help explain the administrative provisions in The Food Code that addresses variance requests, contents of a HACCP plan, and conformance with approved procedures for mandated HACCP plans. This document should also prepare regulators to identify hazards and control measures when conducting HACCP plan validations and field verifications in retail food establishments using The Food Code, as well as other government, academic, and scientific information.
Food Safety for Food Workers
We are thrilled to share with you updated Food Safety for Food Workers guide, available in 15 languages:
- Arabic
- Bosnian
- Chinese
- English
- Greek
- Haitian
- Hindi
- Italian
- Khmer
- Korean
- Polish
- Portuguese
- Russian
- Spanish
- Vietnamese
This was a collaborative effort between MEHA, the Massachusetts Partnership for Food Safety Education, and the University of Massachusetts translation services, supported by CDC funding.* Additional educational resources can be accessed through the Massachusetts Partnership for Food Safety Education publications and reports.
*Funds made available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support, under B01OT009024.
Massachusetts Food Code
- 105 CMR 590
- Annotated Merged Food Code
- Retail Food Code Major Changes
- List of Cheeses Exempt from Date Marking
- HD1055 An Act protecting the health and safety of people in restaurants: Click here to learn more about this bill.
Food Allergies
Disclaimer: The Massachusetts Environmental Health Association (MEHA) provides this three part video as a service to our members and visitors. MEHA does not provide a training certificate after viewing the training videos.
- Learn more about the Massachusetts Allergy Awareness Act here.
- View the MADPH list of vendors approved to issue certificates of allergen awareness training.
- Learn more at the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network website.
- This copyrighted video has been made available by permission and the kind support of Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network. Food Allergy Research and Education Training Videos
- CBD (Cannabidiol) in Food Manufactured or Sold in MA Click here to learn more.
Additional Resources
DHHS. NIH. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Detailed information about food allergies and intolerances. Discusses diagnosis, how allergens work, and treatment.
Each year, millions of Americans have allergic reactions to food. Although most food allergies cause relatively mild and minor symptoms, some food allergies can cause severe reactions, and may even be life-threatening.
To raise public awareness, to provide advocacy and education, and to advance research on behalf of all those affected by food allergies and anaphylaxis.
Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources
Massachusetts Department of Public Health – Food Protection Program
The Massachusetts Food Protection Program, within Bureau of Environmental Health in the Department of Public Health, strives to ensure a safe and wholesome food supply in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
- Michigan Department of Agriculture – Food Sanitarian training
- Massachusetts Partnership for Food Safety Education
- Norovirus Facts for Food Handlers (PDF factsheet, CDC)
- Norovirus Food Handlers Facts (CDC)
Infection with norovirus causes gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach and intestines), which most commonly results in diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach cramping. Norovirus illness is sometimes referred to as “stomach flu,” but it is not related to the flu, which is a respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus.
Their mission is to help prevent foodborne illness in Massachusetts through educational programs that address control of foodborne pathogens throughout the food chain from farm to table.
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