FAIRFAX COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

*REMINDER*

'TIS THE SEASON TO RENEW!- 

It’s that time again… all Food Establishment Permits will expire on December 31, 2025. Renewal notices will be sent via PLUS to the applicant and owner starting in November. There is no grace period, and failure to renew in a timely manner could result in a facility closure. A $10 late fee applies starting January 1, 2026, and establishments may not operate without a valid permit after that date. Please ensure that correct email addresses are included on the renewal forms. For questions, contact the Health Department at hdehd@fairfaxcounty.gov.

RENEW FOOD ESTABLISHMENT PERMITS IN PLUS
(Three Easy Steps)

#1- Log in to your PLUS account
#2- Complete the Renewal Application
#3- Pay Fees Online

Click Learn More for access to pdf guidance. 

HEALTHY HOLIDAYS = HAPPY HOLIDAYS! - Food Safety Tips for the Season

With food prepared in large quantities comes the question of how to store LEFTOVERS. Remember to cool down any leftovers rapidly using shallow pans, smaller portions, and freezers.  The goal is getting the food to 70F in 2 hours or less and then to 41F or below in no more than a total of 6 hours.  If you do not have the storage space or capabilities to keep leftovers, then it is recommended to discard the food items if safe temperatures cannot be maintained.  Serving leftovers is safe if cooled correctly and then reheated to 165F or above before consumption. 

Gathering together for the holidays is wonderful for us but can be risky for raw animal proteins and ready-to-eat food items. Separation is key to preventing cross contamination when preparing raw meats around food items that are ready for consumption and will not be cooked in the dish. Cleaning and sanitizing food contact surfaces in between preparation of raw and ready-to-eat foods will help reduce bacteria that can cause foodborne illnesses. Healthy holidays are happy holidays for the whole family!

Click the FDA button to learn more about Food Safety Tips for Healthy Holidays on the FDA website.

Active Managerial Control- "And the Award Goes to..."

Active Managerial Control is a tool used by food service managers to actively lead food workers in safe food handling practices that reduce the occurrence of foodborne illness risk factors. This tool includes aspects of food safety such as employee training, documented standard operating procedures, logs, record keeping, verification, and corrective actions in the effort to reduce foodborne illness in a food establishment. 

It may be getting cold outside, but a topic that remains hot is Active Managerial Control! We would like to congratulate the food service operators who have been recognized with the Active Managerial Control award for making public health a priority in their food establishments! During their recent inspections, they were knowledgeable about the food safety policies and procedures implemented in the facility while appropriately demonstrating corrective actions that aid in preventing possible foodborne illness. It was observed that good active managerial control efforts were in place at their food establishments and these efforts should be acknowledged! STAMP or Safety Through Actively Managing Practices, is a voluntary program that acknowledges facilities that go the extra mile to demonstrate AMC through daily attention to food safety practices. Let's meet our awardees!

JOB WELL DONE! Active Managerial Control Awardees Recognized:

Congratulations to:

• Floridalia Benavides, The Gardens at Fair Oaks, 4310 Forest Hill Drive, Fairfax, VA
• Nicholas Flores & Alex Merritt, Aramark @ Capital One 7th Flr Cafe C1, 1600 Capital One Drive, McLean, VA
• Ana Molina, Five Guys, 8130 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church, VA
• Jordan Gray, Five Guys, 8971 Ox Rd, Lorton, VA

JOB WELL DONE! STAMP Program Awardees Recognized:

Congratulations to:

• Aramark @ Capital One 7th Flr Cafe C1, 1600 Capital One Drive, McLean VA

Click the button below to visit the Health Department website for pictures and details about how these food service managers and other operators are reducing the risk of foodborne illness in their food establishments.

Nicholas Flores & Alex Merritt (AMC) Aramark @ Capital One 7th Flr Cafe C1 Team (STAMP)

Ana Molina (AMC)

Jordan Gray (AMC)

FESTIVE FOOD SAFETY QUIZ- Test your knowledge on food preparation for the holidays!

Test Your Knowledge… let’s see how well you know the answers to these festive food safety tips... 1- If turkey is on the menu, which of the following are important practices to follow if stuffing it?          a) Wait to mix wet and dry ingredients for a stuffing until just before stuffing the bird             b) Stuff the turkey loosely          c) Cook a stuffed turkey immediately          d) Use a food thermometer          e) b, c, and d          f) All of the above 2- A whole cooked turkey must reach what internal temperature to be safe to eat?          a)135 F          b)125 F          c)165 F          d) 155 F 3- If you are traveling with food, which of the following are important practices to follow?         a) Keep hot foods hot by wrapping them in foil and then in heavy towels.         b) Keep cold foods cold by putting them in a cooler with plenty of ice or freezer packs.         c) Perishable foods such as meat, poultry, eggs, and casseroles kept at room temperature for longer than 2 hours should be thrown out.         d) All of the above. 4- Can you rely solely on a pop-up thermometer on a turkey for a food temperature?        a) Yes        b) No 5- For pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals, which food items should be avoided at gatherings?        a) unpasteurized cheese paté        b) Cold sliced deli meats        c) Chilled seafood such as raw oysters, sashimi and sushi, smoked ready-to-eat seafood        d) homemade eggnog        e) All of the above

"Don't Be a 'Disservice' to Service Animals"- Understanding regulations around service animals and food establishments!

Service animals have become a topic of discussion for many food establishment operators. According to the ADA or The Americans with Disabilities Act, the definition of a service animal is an animal that is trained to perform a task directly related to a person’s disability. Please see the ADA website for approved animal types. Many food establishment operators and customers have seen pets or service animals in restaurants but may not know how to differentiate between the two, or what questions can be asked. The two questions that are permissible are "is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?" and "what work or task has the dog been trained to perform?". Restaurant operators should train food service workers and staff on how to respectfully handle the presence of service animals, as well as how to remove unruly or unpermitted animals from the facility. Please click on the Guidance Link for a helpful handout that details service animals, outdoor doggy dining and a decision guide for training. 

Click the ADA button below for more information about service animals on the ADA website.

*IMPORTANT*

To read in another language, click "View as a webpage" and set your browser to your preferred language.