Food Service and Retail Ordinance
The City of Albuquerque Environmental Health Department is seeking input on the updated Food Service and Retail Ordinance (FSO). Stakeholders and interested parties have the opportunity to review the ordinance and accompanying rules document and provide input for anything that they feel should be included in the ordinance.
The updated FSO will repeal the City’s existing food safety ordinances and replace them with an updated, comprehensive ordinance. The new ordinance is expected to deliver significant benefits to the regulated community and consumers at large.
Important highlights to the updated FSO include:
- Adopting the 2022 Food and Drug Association Food Code which includes updates to charitable donations, general food safety including the requirement to obtain a Food Handlers Card, pet dog allowance, and allergen labeling requirement;
- Unifies Food Ordinance suite;
- Update permit and fee structure;
- Updates to the grading of food establishments; and,
- Enforcement updates including civil penalties, criminal penalties, and compliance plans.
The Albuquerque City Council is expected to take up the new ordinance on May 6 and, if passed, it would go into effect late summer. Interested parties can provide feedback on the draft ordinance.
Read the current draft of the Food Service and Retail Ordinance that Council will consider at the May 6 meeting. Read the ordinance's rules.