What guidance does the FDA have for Restaurants and Retail Stores?

In most areas of the United States, to open a restaurant or retail store, you need to obtain a business license from your City or County government. Also, you should notify your local (City or County) Health Department and arrange for an inspection of the premises before you open for business. Sanitation inspections are the responsibility of the City or County Health Department.

Many questions concerning the safe and sanitary operation of food establishments may be answered by referring to the publication "1999 FDA Food Code". This publication (1999 FDA Food Code) is a model law that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends for adoption by States, Tribes, and local health agencies for inspections of food establishments (including grocery stores, restaurants, cafeterias, lunch wagons, food vending machines, and sidewalk food venders). Included in the Code are the suggested regulations for food safety, sanitation, and honest presentation of food to consumers.

The 1999 FDA Food Code is available from the FDA/CFSAN web site at: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/foodcode.html. The code is also available for purchase (using a major credit card), in spiral-bound book form, from NTIS:

NUTRITION LABELING OF RESTAURANT FOODS

The regulations of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for nutrition labeling of restaurant foods is contained in the book of regulations "Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 100 to 169" (21 CFR 100-169) at 21 CFR 101.10 which is available through the US Government Printing Office at:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/get-cfr.cgi?TITLE=21∂=101&SECTION;=10&TYPE;=TEXT

PURCHASE BOOK OF REGULATIONS

The book "21 CFR 100-169" may be purchased by telephone with your major credit card from the main office of the U.S. Government Bookstore in Washington, DC (telephone number 1-202-512-1800) or from a regional office that may be near you. The telephone numbers and addresses of the regional offices are listed at: http://bookstore.gpo.gov/locations/index.html.