Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards
The Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (Retail Program Standards) define what constitutes a highly effective and responsive program for the regulation of foodservice and retail food establishments.
They begin by providing a foundation and system upon which all regulatory programs can build through a continuous improvement process. The Retail Program Standards encourage regulatory agencies to improve and build upon existing programs. Further, they provide a framework designed to accommodate both traditional and emerging approaches to food safety.
The Retail Program Standards are intended to reinforce proper sanitation (good retail practices) and operational and environmental prerequisite programs while encouraging regulatory agencies and industry to focus on the factors that cause and contribute to foodborne illness, with the ultimate goal of reducing the occurrence of those factors. In support of this goal, FDA works cooperatively with our state, local, territorial and tribal partners using a risk-based approach to leverage limited resources. The Retail Program Standards represent an important component of a comprehensive strategic approach to help ensure the safety and security of the food supply at the retail level.
View the 2024 Retail Program Standards
If you have questions about the Retail Program Standards, please contact an FDA Retail Food Specialist.
Who is enrolled?
Listing of Jurisdictions Enrolled in the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards provides information about jurisdictions that have enrolled in the Retail Program Standards. The information is updated on a quarterly basis to reflect new enrollments, as well as to recognize achievements made by current enrollees. If you have questions about the enrollment information on this page, please contact retailfoodprotectionteam@fda.hhs.gov.
FDA would like to recognize jurisdictions that have made progress in the Retail Program Standards since the previous FDA Retail Food Protection Seminar. Categories for recognitions are as follows:
- Initial or Updated Full Self-Assessment of all Nine Program Standards (SA9)
- Meeting One or More Standards during a current Self-Assessment Cycle
- Meeting All Nine Standards during a current Self-Assessment Cycle
2024 Retail Program Standards Recognition
- Crosswalk on Public Health Accreditation and Retail Program Standards
This document provides an overview of the similarities between the Retail Program Standards and the PHAB accreditation process and details the connections between the criteria that apply within each initiative. The detailed crosswalk provides specific examples of where documentation generated when implementing the Retail Program Standards can be used to satisfy documentation requirements associated with the accreditation process. This document will assist those who pursue conformance with the Retail Program Standards and PHAB Accreditation concurrently, without duplicating resources or effort. - Report: Impact of the NACCHO Retail Program Standards Mentorship Program on Retail Food Regulatory Programs
- Fact Sheet: Accomplishments of the FDA and NACCHO Retail Program Standards Mentorship Program
- Egg Regulatory Program Standards (ERPS)
The Egg Regulatory Program Standards provide a framework for state programs with responsibility for oversight of eggs and egg products. The program standards are designed to integrate the regulatory activities of partner agencies into an efficient and effective process for improving egg safety in the U.S. - Animal Feed Regulatory Program Standards (AFRPS)
The feed standards establish a uniform foundation for the design and management of state programs responsible for the regulation of animal feed. - Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS)
The Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards are a set of standards developed by the FDA, with input from state program managers, that can be used by the states as a guide for continuous improvement for state food manufacturing programs.
2024 FDA Retail Food Protection Seminars – Save the Dates!
FDA's Office of State Cooperative Programs, Division of Retail Food Protection is excited to announce the locations and dates for the Retail Food Protection Seminars. In 2024, four seminars will be held in partnership with state regulatory and food safety associations partners from around the country. We encourage Retail Food Program Managers, Standardization Officers, regulators, academia and industry to attend to learn about current and emerging food safety initiatives and network with partners from our food safety partners. We look forward to engaging with colleagues and friends. You are invited to any of the below seminars.
2024 Retail Food Protection Seminar locations and dates:
- Chicago, Illinois – September 11-13, 2024
- Sacramento, California – September 25-27, 2024
- Jacksonville, Florida - October 23-25, 2024
- Burlington, Vermont – November 13-15, 2024
FDA Workshops
- 2024 FDA Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards Self-Assessment and Verification Audit (SA/VA) Workshops
These workshops are designed to provide participants with an overview of the Retail Program Standards criteria and an in-depth understanding of the self-assessment and verification audit processes, worksheets, and forms.
ORAU Courses
- Self Assessment, Verification Audit (SA/VA) Series: Introduction and Administration
The Self-Assessment and Verification Audit Series consist of ten (10) self guided courses which provide relevant information and instruction for retail program enrollment or advancement in conformance with the FDA Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards. The completion of this first course in the series is MANDATORY for access to all remaining nine(9) standards courses. All the retail program standard courses are independent self guided courses,. Participants may repeatedly access any or all of the nine retail standard courses as on-demand learning or refresher training. - Self Assessment, Verification Audit (SA/VA) Series Intro and Administration.