Individuals conducting self-assessments and verification audits of the FDA Retail Food Program Standards can now take part in online self-guided FDA Retail Food Program Standards Self-Assessment/Verification Audit Courses.

The Retail Program Standards are designed to help food regulatory programs enhance the services they provide to the public by:

• Identifying program areas where an agency can have the greatest impact on retail food safety
• Promoting wider application of effective risk-factor intervention strategies
• Assisting in identifying program areas most in need of additional attention
• Providing information needed to justify maintenance or increase in program budgets
• Leading to innovations in program implementation and administration
• Improving industry and consumer confidence in food protection programs by enhancing uniformity within and between regulatory agencies

These following courses are now open for registration and additional courses are scheduled to be added soon.

• An introduction to the Program Standards and the Administrative Procedures (Prerequisite to the other nine courses)
• Standard 1:  Regulatory Foundation (coming soon)
• Standard 2:  Trained Regulatory Staff (coming soon)
• Standard 3:  Inspection Program Based on HACCP Principles
• Standard 4:  Uniform Inspection Program
• Standard 5:  Foodborne Illness and Food Defense Preparedness and Response (coming soon)
• Standard 6:  Compliance and Enforcement (coming soon)
• Standard 7:  Industry and Community Relations (coming soon)
• Standard 8:  Program Support and Resources (coming soon)
• Standard 9:  Program Assessment (coming soon)

Register at the FDA Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards page.