Food Safety

To protect the health of the public, it is essential to prevent foodborne illnesses. This page provides food safety advisories, guidance, and resources for food businesses and the public. Compliance with safety guidelines allows businesses to meet regulations that safeguard public health, while helping the public make informed food safety choices.

Start with these featured resources for the latest food and product recalls, inspection results, California food safety regulations, and guidance on how inspectors identify and document violations on the Food Official Inspection Report.

Recent Food and Product Recalls Inspection Results California Health & Safety Code Retail Food Inspection Guide

Certified Food Handler Card and Certified Food Protection Manager

Certified Food Handler (CFH): Food handlers are required to obtain a food handler card within 30 days of their date of hire. Each food handler must maintain a valid food handler card for the duration of their employment.

Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM): Food facilities, except temporary food facilities, are required to have an owner or employee who has successfully passed an approved and accredited food safety certification examination from an accredited food protection manager certification organization.

CFH or CFPM certificate can be obtained by contacting one of the approved California Food Handler Certificate Programs directly. Please see The American National Standards Institute website at www.ansi.org.

Search Food Safety Resources

Browse Public Health food safety resources using the search and filters below. Enter one or more keywords—such as a topic, document title, audience, or category—to quickly find the information you need. You can also select a category to narrow the results. Resources are updated regularly and include guidance, fact sheets, forms, educational materials, and other helpful documents for food businesses and the public.

Restaurant & Market Food Safety

Below are additional resources for restaurant and market food safety:

Training Materials in Multiple Languages

Food Safety Advisory Council

The Food Safety Advisory Council (FSAC) is a collaborative effort between food safety representatives from the food industry, related businesses, and local regulatory agencies. The Los Angeles County FSAC chapter works closely with the Environmental Health Division of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. FSAC assists the food industry in understanding laws, regulations, and the reasoning behind them. The overall goal of the council is to enhance cooperation and understanding between county government and the food industry. FSAC has provided valuable input on pertinent issues such as new legislation, new industry products, and the implementation of new policies.

For more information regarding the Los Angeles County FSAC and membership, please contact the FSAC Coordinator via e-mail at ehfoodsafety@ph.lacounty.gov.