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Food safety resources for businesses

Educational resources to help restaurants prevent food-borne illnesses.

Cooking safely

Cooking and pooling of eggs

Contaminated eggs can carry Salmonella enteritidis and can cause the elderly, small children and those with immune-compromised systems to get sick when consuming raw or undercooked eggs.

Safe food handling practices for food establishments

These procedures will help prevent mishandling and contamination of food, and will reduce the risk of foodborne illness at your establishment.

Handwashing

Stop Germs, Stay Healthy materials

A public education campaign to encourage healthy behaviors to limit the spread of respiratory illnesses such as colds and flu.

Food code updates

Updates to the Washington State Retail Food Code

The Washington State Retail Food Code was updated on March 1, 2023. To help restaurants and businesses adapt, we’ve created a series of factsheets to help explain the changes.

Food labeling

Labeling raw and undercooked foods

Certain risky foods, often considered delicacies, are traditionally served raw or undercooked, such as Caesar salad dressing, oysters on the half shell, steak tartare, sunny-side-up eggs, medium rare hamburgers and sashimi. There are public health risks associated with eating these foods, including Salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, Vibrio and other bacterial and viral diseases.

Menu labeling requirements (external site)

Information from the U.S. Dept. of Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Prohibited substances

CBDs (cannabidiol) in food and beverages

In King County, the addition of CBD to food and beverages is prohibited until further guidance and approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Washington State Department of Agriculture, and Washington Department of Health.

Trans fat ban requirements

Learn about the requirements to eliminate artificial trans fat for King County food businesses.

Preparing for emergencies

Protecting foods from power failures (PDF, 571 KB)

When the power goes out, it’s important to consider food safety. Different kinds of food require different safeguards.

Boil water order

If you are in an area with a boil water order in place, it means that recent tests show that your water system is contaminated with organisms that can cause illness. Boiling is the best way to ensure water is free of illness-causing organisms.

Food-borne disease facts

Many food-borne diseases are reportable conditions in King County. Learn about the disease and how to protect yourself.

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