CONTRIBUTED

Moore County residents dining out at local restaurants may not notice the changes, but their dining experience may be a little safer now thanks to changes in North Carolina's food safety code.

The new rules went into effect Sept. 1.

"Our county health department staff works closely with local dining establishments to promote safe food handling practices," said Robert Wittmann, Moore County public health director. "These new rules allow us to keep up with changes in food preparation techniques, while keeping public health and safety in mind."

The new food code represents the most comprehensive change in North Carolina's food protection standards in more than 30 years and establishes practical, science-based rules and provisions to help avoid food-borne illnesses, such as noroviruses and salmonella, a news release from the county health department said.

"Restaurant owners know that safe food is good business," said Larry Michael, of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services' Division of Public Health. "By working together to implement these changes, we can reduce our incidence of food-borne illness across the state."

Under the new rules, employees must avoid handling ready-to-eat food with their bare hands, and all restaurants must have a certified food protection manager during hours of operation. Restaurant owners also must establish employee health policies to ensure that an ill employee who has the potential to contaminate food is not involved in the preparation or serving of food.

Restaurant rating systems also will change under the new food code. Although sanitation rating cards showing the grade and score will continue to be posted, restaurants will no longer earn a bonus for completing voluntary food safety training since certification will be required, the release said.

"Our environmental health staff have worked diligently with our local food provider community to help them make the transition to the new system," Wittmann said.

Another change people will notice is that local food trucks and pushcarts will also be subject to the new food code rules and will be required to post a sanitation rating card.

Key provisions of the new state food code include:

n Each food establishment will be required to demonstrate knowledge of food protection by passing an American National Standards Institute-accredited exam. This requirement will be phased in and become effective Jan. 1, 2014.

n Each food establishment will be required to develop and adhere to an employee health policy to prevent and control the transmission of illnesses.

n Food establishments will be required to refrain from handling exposed, ready-to-eat foods with bare hands.

n Food establishments will be required to decrease the temperature of refrigerated foods and must date-mark opened, ready-to-eat foods.

Anyone interested in the new code can view it at http://ehs.ncpublichealth.com/rules.htm.