Food Safety

Last Updated: July 31, 2018
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Scientist examining food samples

​Whether at home or deployed, Food Safety is important to everyone's health.  Food Safety includes everything from proper food storage, washing hands, preventing cross contamination of foods during preparation, proper cooking temperatures, clean up and disinfection and many steps in between. Army Public Health Center (APHC) personnel perform sanitation inspections of all food serving facilities such as the Army and Air Forces Exchange Service (AAFES) establishments, Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA), and Dining Facilities (DFACs). The APHC (Veterinary Services) assists with the same inspection on Naval and Marine Corps installations. Food Safety training and guidance are provided to unit personnel and food service establishment employees.

​Installation Support Program (ISP): The ISP application assists the Installation Veterinary Officer in Charge (OIC) in making risk-based assessments of veterinary public health requirements and matching existing resources against the entire spectrum of food safety, security, animal programs, and customer needs for a given installation. ISP has three major support functions, Food Safety/QA, Food Defense, and Animal Programs.

Prime Vendor Destination Audit Program: The Prime Vendor (PV) Destination Audit Program ensures food safety and quality assurance for subsistence delivered. Providing the Services comprehensive product data to utilize in validating and/or improving the quality of food served. Serving as a means to verify the condition and wholesomeness of subsistence, and provides an additional means to monitor food vulnerability/defense. Ensuring economic value and protecting the financial interests of the government are overriding concerns incorporated into this program. This program serves as a re-engineering/improvement of the existing Prime Vendor inspection program. It is additionally utilized to assist in special inspections that may be necessary because of natural or intentional incidents. (i.e., Gulf of Mexico oil spill).