This document summarizes Arizona's food code requirements for retail food establishments. It outlines the state laws that authorize the food code and describes the code's purpose to control known food safety risk factors and reduce foodborne illness. Key requirements covered include employee health and hygiene, food temperature control, approved food sources, and equipment cleaning and sanitizing. The document also notes some updates in the 2009 FDA Food Code compared to previous versions.

1. goochmonster photos
Food Safety and the Arizona
Food Code Requirements
Robert Gooch, R.S., R.E.H.S.
ADHS/BEDC/OEH/FSES-N.R.O.

2. Granted by
A.R.S. § Title 36, Chapter 1, Article 2
& A.R.S. § Title 36, Chapter 6, Article 1

3.  36-132. Department of health services; functions; contracts
 A. The department shall, in addition to other powers and duties
vested in it by law:
 1. Protect the health of the people of the state.
 13. Take all actions necessary or appropriate to ensure that bottled
water sold to the public and water used to process, store, handle, serve
and transport food and drink are free from filth, disease-causing
substances and organisms and unwholesome, poisonous, deleterious or
other foreign substances. All state agencies and local health agencies
involved with water quality shall provide to the department any
assistance requested by the director to ensure that this paragraph is
effectuated.
 14. Enforce the state food, caustic alkali and acid laws in accordance
with chapter 2, article 2 of this title, chapter 8, article 1 of this title and
chapter 9, article 4 of this title, and collaborate in the enforcement of the
federal food, drug and cosmetic act of 1938

4.  36-601. Public nuisances dangerous to public
health
 A. The following conditions are specifically declared
public nuisances dangerous to the public health:
 2. Any spoiled or contaminated food or drink intended
for human consumption.
 3. Any restaurant, food market, bakery or other place of
business or any vehicle where food is prepared,
packed, processed, stored, transported, sold or served
to the public that is not constantly maintained in a
sanitary condition.

5.  ADHS created A.A.C. Title 9, Chapter 8, Article 1
under that Authority to control Retail Food
Safety
 AKA: 2001 Arizona State Food Code
http://www.azdhs.gov/phs/oeh/rs/pdf/fc2000.pd
f

6.  ADHS delegates A.A.C. 9-8-1 to 15 County
Environmental Health Departments, as the
minimum standard to ensure Compliance and
Enforcement

7.  R9-8-103(A) [AZ 2001 Food Code] requires all
Retail Food Establishments, except for those
exempted by R9-8-102(B), to obtain a Food
Establishment License

8.  R9-8-107(A), with a few modifications [R9-8-
107(B)], adopts by reference the 1999 FDA Food
Code
 http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/RetailFoodProtection/FoodCod
e/FoodCode1999/default.htm

10.  Science Based Methodology using
Interventions (Chapters 1-8), based on scientific
rationales (Annex 3), intended to reduce the
incidence of Foodborne Illness
 FDA Food Code is updated and published
every two years
 Conference for Food Protection reviews
provisions of the Food Code and makes needed
changes every year in between

12.  To provide food safety interventions for known
causes of Foodborne Illness as identified by the
C.D.C.
 Reduce the known causes of Foodborne Illness,
referred to as Risk Factors, by requiring Active
Managerial Control of those Risk Factors

13. 54%
19%
13%
8%
6%
1
2
3
4
5
Poor Personal Hygiene
(54% Viral)
Improper Holding Temps
of P.H.F. and R.T.E.-P.H.F.
Inadequate Cooking
(Initial cooking/reheating
Unsafe/Unapproved
Source
Contaminated Equipment/
Cross Contamination

14.  The designation of a Person In Charge (P.I.C.)
to be present during all times of Retail Food
Preparation & Service
 The P.I.C. must be trained in Food Safety

15.  Must demonstrate knowledge and
understanding related to:
 Risk Factors associated with Food Employees & the
spread of Foodborne Illness
 Risk Factors associated with the Handling of P.H.F.
(Potentially Hazardous Food) & the spread of
Foodborne Illness

16.  Ensure compliance with the Food Code
 Offer conditional employment based on Food
Employees willingness to report to the P.I.C.
exposures or diagnosed illnesses related to the Top
4 Pathogens of Concern
 Demonstrate Food Safety Knowledge
 Knowledge of Foodborne Disease prevention
 Train Food Employees in the requirements of the
Food Code
 Working knowledge of the 7 principles of Hazard
Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP)
 Establish Active Managerial Control of Risk
Factors

17.  Poor Personal Hygiene
 Improper Holding Temperatures
 Cold Holding of P.H.F. (Potentially Hazardous
Food)
 Hot Holding of P.H.F.-R.T.E. (P.H.F.-Ready to Eat)
 Cooling of P.H.F.-R.T.E.
 Inadequate Cooking of PHF
 Contaminated Equipment
 Unsafe Source

18.  P.H.F. Examples
 Meat, Dairy, Seafood, cooked-Grains including
pastas, cooked-Legumes and cooked-Tubers
 R.T.E.-P.H.F.
 Milk, Prepared P.H.F., Leftovers, Cut Melons,
Sprouts, [Leafy Greens/sliced tomatoes: TCS]

19.  Management’s Demonstration of Knowledge
 Employee Health Controls
 Controlling Hands as a Vehicle of
Contamination
 Time/Temperature Parameters for Controlling
Pathogens
 Consumer Advisory

20.  Unpasteurized juices not allowed
 Raw Seed Sprouts not allowed
 Raw animal foods not allowed as a menu item
 Raw fish, raw-marinated fish, raw Molluscan Shellfish, Steak Tartare
 No partially cooked animal food allowed as a menu item
 Lightly cooked fish, rare meat, soft-cooked shelled eggs/unpasteurized
and meringue
 Can not use Time as a Control for Raw Eggs
 Pasteurized egg (shell/liquid/dry) substitution in recipes calling
for raw egg
 Caesar Salad
 Hollandaise/Bearnaise sauce
 Mayonaise
 Egg nog
 Ice cream
 Egg-fortified Beverages

21.  Top 4 Pathogens of Concern that require
reporting (exposures/diagnosed illnesses) to
the P.I.C.
 Hepatitis A
 Shigella
 E. Coli 0157:H7; Enterohemorrhagic and Shigatoxin-
producing
 Salmonella Typhi
[Note FDA F.C. 2007 addition of Norovirus]

22.  20 second minimum
 Separate facility with Hot/Cold water
delivered through a mixing type faucet
 Dispensed soap
 Dispensed hand towels or drying device
 Signage reminding Food Employees to wash
their hands

23.  Frozen = 0°F, or less
 Cold = 41°F, or less
(avoiding cross-contamination between Raw and
Raw, and also Raw and RTE foods)
 Hot Holding = 130°F, or higher
[FDA 140°F, or higher; changed to 135°F, or higher in
2009]
 Time as a Control: 4 Hours, or less; must label
with discard by time

24.  Never cross-contaminate between raw animal products
of one type to another during storage
 Never cross-contaminate between raw animal products
and RTE foods
 Wash hands, clean & disinfect/sanitize equipment, by using
wiping cloths stored in approved sanitizer solution, in between
the handling of raw animal products and RTE food
 Minimize Bare Hand Contact with RTE foods
 gloves (non-latex)
 tongs/utensils
 papers

28.  130°F for:
 Raw vegetables intended for hot holding
 Thermally Pre-processed RTE-PHF (frozen and canned
foods)
 Rare beef roasts
 RTE-PHF Hot Holding
 145°F for:
 Beef
 Pork
 Seafood
 Eggs (whole-shelled)
 Grains/Pastas
 Legumes
 Tubers

29.  155°F for:
 Comminuted Animal Products (except for comminuted Poultry products)
 Ground Beef
 Beef/Pork Sausage
 Fish
 Ratites
 Mechanically Tenderized Meats
 Injected Meats
 Raw Eggs broken, but not prepared for immediate service
 Game Animals Commercially Raised
 165°F for:
 Poultry Products/Comminuted Poultry Products (Ground Turkey, Turkey/Chicken
Sausage)
 Reheated RTE-PHF Leftovers
 Stuffed Meat, Pasta, Ratites, Fish, Poultry
 Stuffing containing Meat, Ratites, Fish, or Poultry
 Wild Game Animals
 Raw Animal Foods cooked in a Microwave

30.  130°F to 70°F, or less within 2 hours
 70°F to 41°F, or less within 4 hours
 Cooling must be Monitored!
 Techniques include:
 2”, or less uncovered
 Continual stirring
 Use of ice-baths or “cold-sticks”
 Addition of ice

32.  Approved Chemical Sanitizer Solution Types:
(Must use Test Strips!)
 Chlorine Solution: Unscented household bleach in
concentrations of 50ppm to 150ppm
 Quaternary Ammonia Compound Solution: Quats in
concentrations of 200ppm to 400ppm [must follow
manufacturer instructions]
 Iodine Solution: Low iodine in concentrations of 12ppm to
25ppm
 High Temperature Disinfection
(Thermolables or Shatterproof
Thermometer)
 Must achieve surface temperature of 160°F
(Therefore water temp must be 180°F)

35.  Wiping Cloth Storage
 Used to wipe up food spills and to disinfect
utensils/equipment after use, and prior immediate reuse
 Ware Washing (Manual)- 3 Compartment Sink
 Wash with warm soapy water
 Rinse with clean fresh water
 Sanitize by total emersion for a minimum of 30secs.
 Air Dry
 Ware Washing (Mechanical)
 Wash with warm soapy water
 Rinse with clean fresh water
 Sanitize
 Chemical Injection
 High Temperature Water
 Air Dry

36.  Food from unapproved sources
 Uninspected Meats/Seafood
[note: School Gardens]
 Food of unsound condition
 Sunland Peanut Butter Recall

39.  Date Marked (upon opening or beginning with
first ingredient
 Labeled (with common name)
 Containerized/Wrapped
 Discarded or used up within 7 days if stored
properly
 Golden Rule: If In Doubt, Throw It Out!

40.  Metal Stemmed Thermometer, numerically scaled
from 0°F to 220°F, and accurate within ± 2°F
 Capable of being calibrated using a glass/container full of
ice, and half full of water
 Test Strips for Chemical Sanitizer Solutions
 Non-Latex food service gloves
• Hair Restraint (designed to keep hair from contacting exposed
food, clean equipment, utensils and linen; and unwrapped
single-service items)
 hats
 hair coverings or nets
 beard restraints
 clothing that covers body hair,

43. Container Full of Ice/Half Full of Water

44.  Residential style facilities:
 Limited Sinks
 No Separate Hand Washing Facilities
 No 3-Compartment Sinks
 No Food Preparation Sinks
 No Mop Sinks
 Non-commercial mechanical dishwashers
 Home-style (non-commercial) Refrigerators
 Limited space with little separation of activities
 Inconsistent/ Different County Rules and Regulations:
 Maricopa County has recently adopted the 2009 FDA Food
Code
 Coconino is in the process of adopting the 2009 FDA Food
Code

45.  Addition of Norovirus as a 5th Pathogen of Concern related to Employee Health
 Addition of TCS (Time and Temperature Controlled for Safety) foods: leafy greens, cut
tomatoes and garlic & oil mixtures
 Non-allowance of Consumer Advisory for Children’s menus
 Consumer Notification of Major Food Allergens
 Milk
 Egg
 Fish (Bass, Flounder, Cod,)
 Crustacean Shellfish (Crab, Lobster or Shrimp)
 Tree Nuts (such as Almonds, Pecans or Walnuts)
 Wheat
 Peanuts
 Soy
(Includes food ingredients containing any of the above; but NOT highly refined oils)
 FDA has lowered the Temperature of 140°F to 135°F for the control of the following
Food Safety Risk Factors
 Initial cooking of frozen and canned thermally pre-processed foods
 Hot holding of RTE-PHF
 Cooking of produce intended to be hot held over time
 Temperature Danger Zone (135°F to 41°F)

46. Questions?
Robert Gooch, R.S., R.E.H.S., P.H.S.II
ADHS/BEDC/OEH/FSES-N.R.O.
(928) 779-7182
goochr@azdhs.gov