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Each year, an estimated 600 million people fall ill and 420,000 die from unsafe food.
That’s why food and beverage industry regulations are vital for protecting consumers and businesses—and every single one of us is responsible for upholding these standards. From temperature control to waste management in the food and beverage industry, every stage of a food’s journey must be carefully managed to ensure food and beverage safety.
To protect public health and remain compliant, businesses must stay up to date with industry best practices, along with government regulations from agencies like the FDA, FSIS, and NYC DOH.
Keep reading to learn more about core compliance standards, key operational practices, and how Shapiro supports food safety in the United States.
Key Takeaways
- Food safety agencies in the U.S. set policies to protect public health, including HACCP, FSMA, the FDA Food Code, CGMPs, and ISO 22000.
- Frameworks such as ISO 22000 or HACCP help you consistently identify potential hazards, set critical control points, and establish clear procedures to manage risks effectively.
- Businesses should follow sanitation practices like thorough handwashing, frequent cleaning, regular sanitizing to prevent cross-contamination, and proper waste management.
- All employees should be trained on food safety regulations and practices like HACCP, sanitation, and waste management to support a proactive compliance culture and prevent contamination.
Key Regulations and Standards to Know
Food safety agencies in the U.S. create food and beverage policies and procedures to protect public health and ensure that products are produced, handled, and distributed safely.
Here are the key regulations strengthening food and beverage safety and sanitation today.
HACCP
As described by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, “HACCP is a management system in which food safety is addressed through the analysis and control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards from raw material production, procurement and handling, to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the finished product.”
These FDA food safety guidelines are based on 7 principles:
- Conducting a hazard analysis.
- Determining the critical control points.
- Establishing critical limits.
- Establishing monitoring procedures.
- Establishing corrective actions.
- Establishing verification procedures.
- Establishing record-keeping and documentation procedures.
Several agencies have overlapping regulations that require or reference HACCP plans to ensure food safety compliance.
FSMA
The Food Safety Modernization Act, or FSMA, is a law that improves the security and safety of the U.S. food supply by focusing on the prevention of food-borne pathogens throughout the food system. Some even go as far as saying it’s the most comprehensive reform of our federal food safety laws in over 70 years.
This act also recognizes that food safety is a shared responsibility among many different points in the global supply chain for both human and animal food, meaning producers, processors, transporters, and retailers each play a critical role in keeping food safe.
For instance, the FSMA has rules for produce safety, food traceability, and preventative controls for animal food, among others.
FDA Food Code
The FDA Food Code is a model for best practices to ensure the safe handling of food in retail and food service settings, regulating businesses such as restaurants, grocery stores, and institutions like nursing homes.
This set of guidelines is key to food and beverage safety in the United States, as it serves as a foundation for local, state, tribal, and federal regulators to develop or update their own food safety rules.
While the Food Code was previously issued every two years, it is now published every four years, with potential updates, modifications, or clarifications released in between.
CGMP and ISO 22000
Current Good Manufacturing Practices, or CGMPs, help ensure food safety by addressing areas such as personal hygiene, the design and construction of food plant facilities, and the maintenance of plant grounds, equipment, and sanitary operations.
The ISO 22000, on the other hand, is an international standard that sets the requirements for food safety management systems, helping identify, prevent, and control food safety hazards.
Together, CGMPs and ISO 22000 provide a strong framework to promote safe food production, protect public health, and support compliance with both national regulations and global standards.
Essential Practices for Safe Food Handling
From proper hygiene to preventing cross-contamination, restaurant food safety policies outline clear procedures that help protect customers’ health and ensure compliance with regulatory standards.
As we’ll see below, there are four fundamentals that all establishments should follow: clean, separate, cook, and chill.
Clean & Sanitize
Proper sanitation not only prevents foodborne illness but also enables companies to maintain a positive reputation within their industry.
The FDA identifies various hygienic sanitation practices in food and beverage, including:
- Washing hands in warm, soapy water for 20 seconds before and after handling food.
- Washing your cutting boards, dishes, forks, spoons, knives, and countertops with hot, soapy waterafter working with each food item.
- Rinsing fruits and vegetables before use.
- Avoid washing meat, poultry, fish, or eggs.
- Cleaning the lids on canned goods before opening.
Separate Foods
This brings us to our next food and beverage safety tip: keep food separate to prevent cross-contamination.
According to the CDC, there are various aspects you should consider, including but not limited to the following:
- Keep raw meat, chicken and other poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from ready-to-eat food to prevent germs from spreading.
- Use one cutting board or plate for raw meat, poultry, and seafood and a separate one for produce, bread, and other foods that won’t be cooked.
- Raw chicken is ready to cook and doesn’t need to be washed first, as washing it can spread germs to other foods, the sink, and the counter, increasing your risk of getting sick.
Cook to Safe Temperatures
Cooking food to the right internal temperature helps kill harmful bacteria, making it essential for maintaining health and safety in the food and beverage industry.
To better understand the safe minimum internal temperatures for different food groups, check out the image below.
You should also avoid exposing food to the danger zone, which ranges from 40°F to 140°F. To prevent this, never leave food unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours, or for more than 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F.
Chill & Store Properly
To ensure food safety and preserve food quality, businesses and households alike should know how to chill and store food properly.
The USDA provides insight on this topic, stating that, “To prevent bacterial growth, it’s important to cool food rapidly so it reaches as fast as possible the safe refrigerator-storage temperature of 40° F or below. To do this, divide large amounts of food into shallow containers.”
The USDA also provides additional guidelines for food safety and storage, including:
- Covering leftovers by wrapping them in airtight packaging or sealing them in storage containers.
- Refrigerating leftovers for no more than 3 to 4 days or freezing them for 3 to 4 months.
- Thawing safely using the refrigerator, cold water, or a microwave oven.
- Reheating thoroughly to an internal temperature of 165°F, as measured with a food thermometer.
5 Best Practices for Food & Beverage Safety
Worried about complying with food and beverage safety standards?
Here are 5 best practices to keep your food operations safe and in line with industry standards.
1. Establish a Robust Food Safety Management System
By implementing a structured food safety management system, you can protect your customers and your business—a win-win for anyone in the food industry.
Frameworks such as ISO 22000 or HACCP help you consistently identify potential hazards, set critical control points, and establish clear procedures to manage risks effectively.
Documenting these processes not only supports regulatory compliance but also ensures that everyone on your team understands their role in maintaining food safety.
2. Enforce Cleanliness & Sanitation Protocols
Did you know that one of the key facts about food safety is that unwashed produce can harbor harmful germs?
This is just one of many examples showing why proper cleanliness and sanitation are essential.
In addition to handling produce safely, there are sanitation practices in the food and beverage industry that all businesses should follow. These include washing hands thoroughly, frequently cleaning equipment and surfaces, regularly sanitizing scales and cutting boards to prevent cross-contamination, and maintaining effective, hygienic waste management procedures.
3. Monitor Temperature & Storage Controls
The “clean, separate, cook, chill” model we discussed above should also be consistently applied across all areas of food preparation and storage.
In addition to cooking food to safe temperatures and following guidelines for storing food, companies should prioritize strong food inventory control. From implementing a comprehensive data labeling system to storing products in airtight containers and adopting the first-in, first-out system, there are various strategies companies can use to reduce food waste and ensure food and beverage safety.
4. Maintain Traceability & Recall Readiness
Maintaining traceability and recall readiness is essential for minimizing the impact of potential food safety incidents. Companies should keep detailed records of production batches, supplier sources, and ingredient lot numbers to support an effective food recall process and quickly isolate affected products if needed.
Regularly conducting mock-recall drills helps ensure that systems are working properly and teams are fully prepared to respond swiftly in the event of a real incident.
5. Train Staff & Promote a Culture of Safety
All employees should be trained on food and beverage industry regulations and compliance requirements, including HACCP, sanitation, allergen control, and food defense. This training helps empower staff to report issues, thereby encouraging a proactive compliance culture in the workplace.
In addition to proper food handling, employees should be prepared to enforce your company’s waste management protocols, such as proper separation of waste and keeping waste storage areas clean and sanitized to prevent contamination.
How Shapiro Supports Food & Beverage Safety Compliance
At Shapiro, we understand that meeting food safety regulations is essential for businesses across every part of the food supply chain.
That’s why we offer comprehensive food and beverage waste management services designed to support your compliance efforts, including:
- Safe, compliant waste collection solutions
- Documentation and chain-of-custody support for audits
- Advisory support on regulatory standards
- Training materials or audit prep tools
If you’re looking to streamline your liquid waste management system, explore options for alcohol recycling, or implement composting programs to reduce your environmental impact, our experts are here to guide you every step of the way.
Conclusion
Food and beverage safety helps prevent foodborne illness, protect public health, and maintain consumer trust in your brand.
Businesses committed to reducing their environmental footprint should enhance their food safety protocols, audit their waste management practices, and adopt more sustainable processes throughout their supply chain.
At Shapiro, we have experience helping companies like yours stay compliant and improve their waste management efforts. Contact us today for a tailored strategy that addresses your business-specific challenges and requirements.
Baily Ramsey, an accomplished marketing specialist, brings a unique blend of anthropological insight and marketing finesse to the digital landscape. Specializing in educational content creation, she creates content for various industries, with a particular interest in environmental initiatives.
