Food Safety Regulations

Article III (Food Safety Rules & Regulations)

Allegheny County Council approved the repeal and replacement of the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) Rule and Regulation Article III, “Food Safety” on June 7, 2022. The updated Article III took effect on January 1, 2023.

Article III sets food safety standards for local food operators to protect the public from foodborne illness and ensure a healthy environment in food facilities and in their communities. The ACHD Food Safety Program will be performing educational outreach to members of the food industry in the months leading up to and directly after enacting the updated Article.

The updated Article III:

  • Aligns Allegheny County food standards with those found in Commonwealth of Pennsylvania regulations
  • Promotes efficiency for Food Safety Program operations and permitting, including streamlining the food facility classification system
  • Incorporates FDA Model Food Code language to promote clarity and consistency
  • Addresses the regulation of new and emerging issues in the food service sector, including shared kitchens, self-service food facilities, and food donation

Relevant Materials Regarding Article III Repeal and Replacement

Two versions of the updated Article III are available for review:

  1. Article III Update(PDF, 2MB) – This version reflects all changes in Article III without special formatting. This update will take effect on January 1, 2023.
  2. Article III Update (redline)(PDF, 1MB) – The redlined version indicates language that has been eliminated as strikethrough text and language proposed to be added to Article III in bold underlined text. Language that is proposed to be added to Article III after the close of the Public Comment Period are indicated in red bold and underlined text.

Other Relevant Materials

Overview of Article III Revisions(PDF, 257KB) (English language document)

Article III Comment and Response Document(PDF, 257KB) – As part of the process to repeal and replace Article III, the Board of Health (BOH) approved a Public Comment Period of 75 days from November 12, 2021 through January 24, 2022, including a virtual public hearing on January 20, 2022. At the close of the Public Comment Period, the BOH received over 650 submissions, including both written and oral testimony. ACHD drafted a Comment and Response Document that considers 202 unique comments compiled from submissions.

Article III "Food Safety" Repeal and Replace: Important Notice(PDF, 137KB)

ACHD Food Safety Fee Schedule(PDF, 166KB) , Effective January 1, 2024

Classification Flow Chart(PDF, 327KB)

Contact

Questions? Please use this contact form to contact the Food Safety Program (please remember to include your email address if you wish to receive a response; your comment/inquiry cannot be acknowledged without an email address). You can also contact the Food Safety Program by phone at 412-578-8044. 

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