New food safety regulations will ensure Prince Edward Island stays current with national standards, says Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison.
“Over the coming months, Prince Edward Island will be updating regulations to ensure the highest levels of food safety in food serving establishments,” said Dr. Morrison. “They will also make sure that the Chief Public Health Office has the ability to enforce safe food handling requirements.”
The purpose of the food safety regulations is to ensure that food is properly stored, handled and served.
Changes to the Eating Establishments and Licensed Premises Regulations are expected to include more training, written cleaning and sanitizing procedures, and food safety management plans. To help ensure compliance, the regulations provide for placing conditions on licences, and imposing suspensions and fines. National guidelines for water testing will be adopted for operators with private wells.
A new licensing structure will be based on the primary function of the establishment. Fees will be adjusted to approximately reflect the Maritime average.
The new licensing and fee structure will be implemented April 1, with the majority of changes being phased in this fall to allow for a period of consultation. The Chief Public Health Office has met with industry partners and is seeking feedback.
“The last major review of food safety regulations was more than 30 years ago. However over that time food safety standards have increased, along with the expectations of consumers,” said Dr. Morrison. “Islanders should be able to feel confident that the food they’re purchasing has been prepared properly. These changes reflect the best practices being used across Canada.”
The draft regulations can be viewed at www.gov.pe.ca/health/foodregs. Feedback can be sent to envhealth@ihis.org. Deadline for consultation is April 15, 2014.