🚨 Big Changes in Georgia's Food Safety Rules for 2025 – Are You Ready? 🍽️
If you run a restaurant or food service business in Georgia, listen up! 🚀 The Georgia Food Service Rules and Regulations (Chapter 511-6-1) have been updated to align with the 2022 FDA Food Code, and these changes are officially in effect.
Don’t panic—your first inspection under these new rules will be educational, not punitive (whew! 😅). But after that, compliance is a must. Let’s break down the most important updates so you can stay ahead of the game. 🏆
🔑 Key Changes You Need to Know:
1️⃣ Sesame Joins the Big 9 Allergens
If you serve food, you now need to recognize sesame as a major food allergen 🌱.
What this means: Your staff must be trained to identify sesame in foods and communicate it clearly to customers.
📌 Action Step: Update menus, ingredient lists, and allergy training for staff.
2️⃣ New Rules for Food Donations 🍎
Donating food? It must be properly stored, labeled, and prepared—no cutting corners!
This ensures food donations remain safe for consumption and meet public health standards.
3️⃣ More Stringent Cooking Temps for Food Safety 🌡️
Non-intact meats (like ground beef): Must be cooked to 155°F for 17 seconds.
Poultry, wild game, and stuffed meats: 165°F instantly.
Frozen veggies with cooking instructions: Must be fully cooked before use in ready-to-eat dishes. No serving them straight from the bag!
4️⃣ New Consumer Allergen Notification Rules 📝
If your business sells unpackaged food, you must provide written allergen information.
This can be in any format—menu notations, placards, table tents, or digital methods.
5️⃣ Stronger Sanitation Rules 🚿
Businesses must have a written procedure for handling vomit or fecal incidents (yes, it's gross, but necessary!).
These procedures must include the use of EPA-approved disinfectants to prevent Norovirus outbreaks.
6️⃣ New Flexibility for Water and Sewage Systems 💧
Restaurants and food service establishments now have more options for water heaters and sewage disposal, but with strict conditions.
7️⃣ Temporary Food Establishments Get More Time Flexibility ⏳
If you operate a temporary food service (think pop-ups, food festivals, or events), you may be allowed to use "Time as a Public Health Control" (TPHC) under certain conditions.
✅ What Should You Do NOW?
🔹 Train your team—especially on allergen updates and cooking temperatures.
🔹 Update your food safety procedures to reflect these changes.
🔹 Ensure your food donation practices comply with the new rules.
🔹 Get ready for inspections—your first one under these new rules will be educational, but the second won’t be!
🔹 Ask questions! If you need clarification, contact your local Environmental Health Office.
💡 Want a deeper dive into the full changes? Check out the official summary here: CLICK HERE
🔥 Let’s Talk: What’s Your Biggest Food Safety Challenge?
Running a restaurant or food business isn’t easy, and these updates add more responsibilities to your plate. But knowledge is power! 💪
What are you doing to get ahead of these changes? Drop your thoughts in the comments—let’s help each other out! 👇👇👇
#FoodSafety #RestaurantOwners #GeorgiaRestaurants #HealthInspections #FoodService #FoodRegulations #ServSafe
