Foodborne illness and injury cause significant burdens to individuals as well asestablishments and departments that investigate the illness. In order to reduce foodborneillnesses, consistent and effective standards must be in place. The Pueblo City-County HealthDepartment (PCCHD) proposes to adopt all of the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA)Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards. In the process of adopting thestated standards, PCCHD will continuously improve the quality of services provided, theefficiency and effectiveness of retail food inspection program and staff members, and align withthe national food safety system. Successful completion of intervention strategies will achieve areduction in risk factors associated with foodborne illness, increase in education levels of staffmembers as well as the community and businesses, and incite a reduction in the occurrence offoodborne illnesses and injuries. Innovative intervention strategies will be utilized to achievethese stated objectives and active managerial control. Additionally, strategies will involvecreating a Foodborne Illness Task Force, updating internal policies, procedures, and systems toadequately track compliance and illnesses, creating innovative trainings for retail foodestablishments, recognizing managers of retail food establishments and relationship building. PCCHD can serve as a resource after successful adoption of the standards andinterventions, to surrounding counties interested in adopting the Voluntary National Retail FoodRegulatory Program Standards. PCCHD's adoption of these standards will help to promoteuniformity within and between regulatory agencies. Work to achieve these outcomes will rely onpartnerships and cooperation from managers involved with retail food establishments, PCCHDemployees, community organizations dealing with food safety, as well as surrounding counties. PCCHD's mission is to promote the health and protect the environment of the people ofPueblo County. Successful adoption of the FDA National Standards will allow PCCHD toachieve this mission by reducing the number of foodborne illnesses and associated healthconsequences. PCCHD is committed to implementing quality, efficient and effective programsand interventions related to retail food inspections in addition to continuously improving the retailfood inspection program, staff members, and systems. Adoption of the FDA National Standardswill help ensure PCCHD's program achieves these aims.
Achieving conformance with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards will increase the Pueblo City-County Health Department's ability to focus on the reduction of risk factors known to cause or contribute to foodborne illness and to the promotion of active managerial control. Minimizing the five foodborne illness risk factors and increasing managerial control will reduce or eliminate the occurrence of illnesses, injury and deaths from food produced at the retail level, thus protecting the health of Pueblo County residents and visitors.
