# Conformance with Standards 7 & 9 of the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards. To become part of a uniform national inspection system and enhance programs for food safety.

> **NIH FDA U18** · COUNTY OF DAVIDSON · 2020 · $70,000

## Abstract

Abstract
 Foodborne illnesses are a growing concern within the United States, North Carolina and
Davidson County and will likely continue to increase unless proper methods for addressing the
five risk factors are developed to decelerate progression. According to a study by the CDC
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) in 2018, roughly 1 in 6 Americans fall ill every
year from a foodborne illness (CDC, 2018). This project proposal is to focus on the five risk
factors involved with foodborne illnesses, determine which risk factors are most “out-of
compliance” and implement intervention strategies to bridge the gaps in Davidson County’s food
safety system; as well as create and implement new ideas to bring educational resources and
opportunities to the community.
 In 2012, the State of North Carolina adopted new food handling guidelines, set by the
Food and Drug Administration, to no longer observe the extra “2 point” addition to the final
inspection grade if an employee had a Food Protection Manager certification. The new rule
requires a food industry worker to obtain a food safety certification; otherwise, 2 points will
automatically be deducted. After declaration of this rule, a decrease was noticed for certain risk
factors in establishments where a certification was attained. The department aims to achieve
compliance with these risk factors by keeping Food Protection Manager Certification courses
readily available in our County. Additionally, a food safety advisory panel with annual meetings
will be conducted to allow input from both industry and consumer standpoints; as well as an
online forum that will create a communication link between the industry and Regulatory
Authorities.
 The project will begin with a baseline study from the FDA’s suggested four facility
categories, assessing which risk factors are most often observed during a food service
inspection. Once completed, the baseline study will allow the execution of intervention
strategies that will be introduced to reduce the occurrence of frequently marked priority risk
factor(s). These intervention strategies will target food industry workers and involve educational
opportunities, in house training, surveys, educational handouts, quality assurance visits, and
incentives to promote proper food safety procedures.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10150152
- **Project number:** 1U18FD007041-01
- **Recipient organization:** COUNTY OF DAVIDSON
- **Principal Investigator:** Darren Cecil
- **Activity code:** U18 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** FDA
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $70,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-07-01 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10150152

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10150152, Conformance with Standards 7 & 9 of the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards. To become part of a uniform national inspection system and enhance programs for food safety. (1U18FD007041-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10150152. Licensed CC0.

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