Food manufacturers: food facilities: labels.

Existing law, the California Retail Food Code, provides for regulation by the State Department of Public Health of food manufacturers and retail food facilities and the preparation and sale of foods. Under existing law, local health agencies are primarily responsible for enforcing the code. A person who violates any provision of the code is guilty of a misdemeanor, except as otherwise provided. This bill would, among other things, require the department to identify a list of ready-to-eat foods that have a high level of risk associated with consumption after a specified date and to post that list on its Internet Web site. The bill would, beginning July 1, 2017, require a food manufacturer or retail food facility that chooses to include a quality date, as defined, on foods for sale that are not identified on the department's list to display that date using the phrase "best if used by" in 8-point type size or larger type, as specified. The bill would, beginning July 1, 2017, require a food manufacturer that elects to include an elevated risk date on products that require time/temperature control for safety (TCS) to label the package or container of that food identifying the elevated-risk date, as defined, using the phrase "expires on" or another term specified by the department. The bill would specify that it does not create a legal liability for a retail food provider to ensure that the manufacturer has properly labeled the product. The bill would make related findings and declarations. By creating new crimes and imposing additional enforcement duties on local health agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.