Ensuring food safety in New York

By Blake Jackson

New York State's Department of Agriculture and Markets has highlighted its efforts to ensure the safety of the state's food supply. Since the beginning of 2024, the Division of Food Safety and Inspection has conducted over 21,500 inspections of food establishments across New York. These inspections focus on sanitary conditions that pose immediate health risks to consumers, as well as ensuring product purity and accuracy in labeling. A risk-based approach led to the recall of over 150 products in 2024.

“Now more than ever, consumers want to know about their food, including how it was handled from farm to table. From monitoring for undeclared allergens or contaminants, such as heavy metals, in food to working to ensure that a kosher and halal labeled product is certified, the Department is committed to its mission to keep the food supply safe, from producer to consumer, and to increase consumers’ access to knowledge on the foods they buy,” said State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said.

In 2023, the Department updated its online halal and kosher food registry, enabling consumers to search for registered establishments and certifiers in New York State. This update also streamlined the registration process for manufacturers and certifiers of halal and kosher foods. Currently, over 1,300 halal and kosher establishments are listed on the Department’s website. The Department verifies compliance with New York’s Halal Foods Protection Act and Kosher Law Protection Act during inspections, and businesses must register or face administrative penalties.

The Department also promotes food safety awareness through its letter grading system for retail food stores. The system assigns an “A,” “B,” or “C” grade based on the store's most recent inspection. “A” means no critical deficiencies were found, while “B” indicates issues were corrected during the inspection. A “C” grade signals unresolved critical deficiencies. Stores are required to post their inspection notice, and failing to do so can result in a fine.

The Department continues to lead efforts in protecting New Yorkers’ health through inspections, research, and laboratory analysis. To stay informed on food recalls, consumers can sign up for alerts on the Department's website.

Photo Credit: fangxianuo