The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) changed their Food Code in 2016 and is requiring all agencies conducting food inspections to adopt it as well. The implementation deadline was July 1, 2018, but was postponed to January 1, 2019. However, Staff had notified all foodservice operators in the Village that the new Code would take effect on July 1, 2018, and are prepared to begin on that date.

The Health Officers have been notifying the food establishments about the code changes for over two years.  We have also been sending out special additions of our “Food News” newsletter to all establishments explaining the changes that will occur with the new code. We anticipate the inspections will take longer during the transition as the Health Officers will be spending more time educating operators. Food operators will have changes in their daily operations, but Environmental Health staff anticipate using the time between July, 2018 and January, 2019 to educate our establishments on the new Food Code during the inspections. 

The IDPH Food Code requires a variance be obtained from the regulating Health Authority for special processes, such as preparing sushi rice or pickling for preservation.  The variance application procedure and requirements are not actually contained in the IDPH Food Code but can be found in the Federal Food Code. Therefore, those sections are also proposed to be adopted.

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that the Village Board adopt the attached Ordinance Amending Section 11-201 of the Municipal Code adopting the Illinois Department of Public Health Food Service Sanitation Code and sections from the Federal Food Code.