CDC Releases Model Food Safety Practices for Correctional Facilities

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released new guidance: Model Food Safety Practices for Correctional Facilities. This guidance is based on FDA’s Food Code but is tailored for the unique needs of correctional settings. The guidance was created in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), and supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture- Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS). 

 Why this matters 

A recent analysis from CDC identified that incarcerated and detained individuals were six times as likely to have an illness associated with a foodborne outbreak compared to the public. In the same analysis, the outbreaks in correctional settings were nearly six times as large as those in non-correctional settings, resulting in a substantial burden on individuals as well as facility and healthcare resources. Factors contributing to outbreaks in correctional settings largely related to lack of time and temperature control, which speak to lapses in basic food safety operational control.   

Next steps

• Read the guidance. We encourage you to read the guidance and use the recommendations.  
• Share it. Please share the guidance with your food service staff, public health staff, and others as relevant.  
• Bookmark the webpage. More educational materials will be added in the future.  

For any additional questions, contact [email protected].