Guidance Document for Direct-to-Consumer and Third-Party Delivery Service Food Delivery

DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION

This guidance document provides food safety best practices for managing or performing Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) or third-party delivery (TPD) services.

This document includes parameters critical to preventive controls, mechanisms to assess risk, validation and verification practices, recommendations for proper packaging, temperature control, receiving and storage, physical and chemical contamination control, allergen control, general food safety information, and suggestions for returning compromised and abused products.

The intent of the guide is primarily to provide best practices for preventing biological, physical, and chemical contamination, as well as the growth of harmful bacteria and/or the formation of toxins within the food being transported.

The methods by which foods reach the final consumer can vary significantly, and this guidance is not intended to provide a “one-size-fits-all” approach.

This guidance aims to review some of the essential parameters that any company should consider in providing safe foods to the consumer.

Companies should research, understand, and test the methods best suited to their specific operation.