California Retail Food Code - Chapter 1 - General Provisions - Effective January 1, 2024

Oct 2, 2026

California Retail Food Code excerpt from the California Health and Safety Code sets out the framework for retail food safety, organized by division and part. The chapter structure covers general provisions, definitions, management and personnel requirements, food safety controls for contamination prevention, temperature relationships, approved sources, receipt, storage, processing, and food display. It also addresses cleaning and sanitizing, equipment and facility design, water and waste systems, physical premises, compliance and enforcement provisions, and related operational types.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages222

Reading Time9 h 19 min

AccessFree to download

Preface

Chapter 1. General Provisions

Chapter 2. Definitions

Chapter 3. Management and Personnel

Article 1. Supervision

Article 2. Employee Knowledge

Article 3. Employee Health

Article 4. Handwashing

Article 5. Personal Cleanliness

Article 6. Hygienic Practices

Chapter 4. General Food Safety Requirements

Article 1. Protection from Contamination

Article 2. Time and Temperature Relationships

Article 3. Food from Approved Sources

Article 4. Receipt of Food

Article 5. Food Storage

Article 6. Specialized Processing Methods

Article 7. Food Display and Service

Article 8. Consumer Information

Chapter 5. Cleaning and Sanitizing of Equipment and Utensils

Chapter 6. Equipment, Utensils and Linens

Article 1. Design and Construction

Article 2. Ventilation

Article 3. Location and Installation

Article 4. Maintenance and Operation

Article 5. Linens

Chapter 7. Water, Plumbing, and Waste

Article 1. Water

Article 2. Liquid Waste

Article 3. Mobile Water and Wastewater Tanks

Article 4. Refuse

Chapter 8. Physical Facilities

Article 1. Toilet Facilities

Article 2. Lighting

Article 3. Poisonous and Toxic Materials

Article 4. Employee Storage Areas

Article 5. Premises and Facilities

Article 6. Vermin and Animals

Chapter 9. Permanent Food Facilities

Article 1. Floors, Walls, and Ceilings

Article 2. Toilet Facilities

Article 3. Janitorial Facilities

Article 4. Premises

Article 5. Prepackaged Nonpotentially Hazardous Food

Chapter 10. Mobile Food Facilities

Article 1. Catering Operations and Host Facilities

Article 5. Nonprofit Charitable Temporary Food Facilities

Article 6. Limited Service Charitable Feeding Operation

Chapter 11. Temporary Food Facilities

Article 5. Cottage Food Operations

Article 6. Microenterprise home kitchen operation

Article 7. Compact Mobile Food Operation

Chapter 12. Certified Farmers' Markets

Article 5. Farm Stands

Article 7. Fishermen’s Markets

Article 8. Children’s Meals

Chapter 13. Compliance and Enforcement

Article 1. Plan Review and Permits

Article 2. Enforcement

Article 3. Permit Suspension or Revocation

Article 4. Variance

Article 5. HACCP Exemptions

Article 6. Exemptions

Article 7. Food Facility Food Donations

Article 8. Child Day Care Facilities, Community Care Facilities, and Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly

Index

California Retail Food Code Excerpt from the California Health and Safety Code Division 104-Environmental Health Part 7. California Retail Food Code Chapter 1. General Provisions Effective January 1 , 2024 Table of Contents Preface ....................................................................................................4 Chapter 1. General Provisions .............................................................6 Chapter 2. Definitions ........................................................................ 10 Chapter 3. Management and Personnel Article 1. Supervision ..........................................................................40 Article 2. Employee Knowledge ..........................................................41 Article 3. Employee Health..................................................................48 Article 4. Handwashing .......................................................................50 Article 5. Personal Cleanliness ...........................................................54 Article 6. Hygienic Practices ...............................................................55 Chapter 4. General Food Safety Requirements Article 1. Protection from Contamination.............................................57 Article 2. Time and Temperature Relationships ..................................60 Article 3. Food from Approved Sources ..............................................67 Article 4. Receipt of Food....................................................................68 Article 5. Food Storage .......................................................................72 Article 6. Specialized Processing Methods .........................................73 Article 7. Food Display and Service ....................................................75 Article 8. Consumer Information .........................................................80 Chapter 5. Cleaning and Sanitizing of Equipment and Utensils ......85 Chapter 6. Equipment, Utensils and Linens Article 1. Design and Construction ......................................................95 Article 2. Ventilation ............................................................................99 Article 3. Location and Installation .................................................... 101 Article 4. Maintenance and Operation ............................................... 104 Article 5. Linens ................................................................................ 105 Chapter 7. Water, Plumbing, and Waste Article 1. Water ................................................................................. 107 Article 2. Liquid Waste ...................................................................... 108 Article 3. Mobile Water and Wastewater Tanks ................................ 109 Article 4. Refuse ............................................................................... 113 Chapter 8. Physical Facilities Article 1. Toilet Facilities ................................................................... 115 Article 2. Lighting .............................................................................. 116 Article 3. Poisonous and Toxic Materials .......................................... 117 Article 4. Employee Storage Areas ................................................... 117 Article 5. Premises and Facilities ..................................................... 118 Article 6. Vermin and Animals .......................................................... 118 Chapter 9. Permanent Food Facilities Article 1. Floors, Walls, and Ceilings ................................................ 121 Article 2. Toilet Facilities ................................................................... 123 Article 3. Janitorial Facilities.............................................................. 124 Article 4. Premises .........................................

FAQs

What effective date is specified for Chapter 1 of the California Retail Food Code excerpt?

The excerpt specifies Chapter 1, General Provisions, effective January 1, 2024.

What topics are covered under management and personnel?

Chapter 3 includes supervision, employee knowledge, employee health, handwashing, personal cleanliness, and hygienic practices.

How does the code address food safety and contamination risks?

Chapter 4 covers protection from contamination, time and temperature relationships, approved sources, receipt of food, storage, specialized processing methods, food display and service, and consumer information.

Oct 2, 2026

Uploaded by EvelynWrites