The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets has highlighted actions taken to ensure the safety of New York’s food supply. The Department’s Division of Food Safety and Inspection has conducted more than 21,500 inspections of food establishments across New York since the start of 2024, inspecting for those sanitary conditions that pose an immediate health and safety risk to the consumer, as well as ensuring purity of product and accuracy of food product labeling. In 2024, using a risk-based approach, these routine food safety inspections led to the recall of over 150 products.
Halal and Kosher Food Registry
In 2023, the Department updated its online halal and kosher food registry, which now allows consumers to search for registered halal and kosher food establishments and certifiers in New York State. The Department also updated the registration forms, providing a more streamlined application for manufacturers, producers, packers, distributors, and individuals or organizations certifying halal and kosher foods. Today, there are more than 1,300 halal and kosher establishments registered on the Department’s website, which can be found here: agriculture.ny.gov/halal and agriculture.ny.gov/food-safety/kosher-law-enforcement.
While food allergens, chemical contaminants, and mislabeling of food products remain among the top violations triggering a food safety recall, the Department is also responsible for safeguarding against the mislabeling of halal and kosher foods. Manufacturers, producers, packers, and distributors claiming to sell halal and kosher foods, as well as individuals or organizations that certify halal and kosher foods, are required by law to register with the Department.
During routine food safety inspections, the Department verifies establishments that certify halal and kosher foods are registered in compliance with New York State’s Halal Foods Protection Act of 2005 and New York’s Kosher Law Protection Act of 2004.
Questions regarding this registration requirement can be directed via email to [email protected] or [email protected].
Manufacturers, producers, packers, distributors, and certifiers failing to register with the Department can face administrative action, including but not limited to a financial penalty or litigation.
Letter Grading Inspection Result Postings
As part of the Department’s efforts to promote food safety awareness and building on its letter grading system for inspection results, first implemented in 2018, the Department launched a revised posting for retail stores, found at agriculture.ny.gov/food-safety/notice-inspection. The revised posting features much larger letter grades of “A”, “B”, or “C” that is easier for the public to read and understand.
Following the Department’s sanitary inspection of the retail food store, the inspector assigns the store an “A,” “B,” or “C” letter grade, which corresponds to the results of the most recent sanitary inspection.
A – No critical deficiencies were found. (Food safety program in place is working.)
B – Although critical deficiencies were found, they were corrected at time of inspection. (Room for continuous improvement and requires a follow-up inspection to ensure corrective actions are implemented.)
C – Critical deficiencies were found but were not or could not be corrected at time of inspection. (Need for immediate corrective action and requires a follow-up inspection to ensure corrective actions are implemented.)
The Department continues to require that the Notice of Inspection be posted in an obvious location near each public entrance to the retail store. Consumers can also request copies of the inspection notice from the retailer. Retail facilities face a $600 fine for not complying with the Department’s posting requirement.
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