March 2022 Direct From CDC/Environmental Health Services

Direct From CDC/Environmental Health Services Column

Journal of Environmental Health (Volume 84, Number 7)

Editor's Note: The National Environmental Health Association strives to provide up-to-date and relevant information on environmental health and to build partnerships in the profession. In pursuit of these goals, we feature a column on environmental health services from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in every issue of the Journal.

In these columns, authors from CDC's Water, Food, and Environmental Health Services Branch, as well as guest authors, will share tools, resources, and guidance for environmental health practitioners. The conclusions of these columns are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position of CDC.

Protecting Retail Food Safety by Strengthening Partnerships and Collaboration

Laura Brown, PhD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Chris Smith, MPA, REHS, Food and Drug Administration

Laura Wildey, CP-FS. National Environmental Health Association

Description

This month's column provides information about the Retail Food Safety Regulatory Association Collaborative (Collaborative) and why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is excited to participate in this innovative and promising project. The Collaborative is a group of organizations working together to reduce foodborne illness associated with retail food establishments. In 2018, representatives from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began talks with leadership from the Association of Food and Drug Officials, Conference for Food Protection, National Association of County and City Health Officials, and National Environmental Health Association to initiate a collaborative effort to reduce foodborne illness associated with the retail sector in the U.S. In 2019, these organizations identified strategies to reduce foodborne illness and brought CDC on board. In 2020, under an FDA cooperative agreement, the Collaborative began to execute its strategic plan.

The column discusses the six main objectives to improve retail food safety nationally that the Collaborative is working toward to meeting and activities CDC has engaged in that support these priorities.

Read the March 2022 JEH Direct From CDC/Environmental Health Services Column

PROTECTING RETAIL FOOD SAFETY BY STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATION (PDF)