Division Areas

Plan Review Section

The Division of Food Protection provides a Central Plan Review Section, which performs a comprehensive review of plans and specifications submitted on new and remodeled food service and retail food store establishments to be constructed in South Carolina. For information on submission of plans contact the Division of Food Protection at (803) 896-0640.

Is there a fee for plan review services?

No. This is a free service the Division Of Food Protection offers to assist owners of new or remodeled facilities in making sure that the construction aspects of a retail food establishment meet the applicable requirements of Regulation 61-25 before construction. The local health authority will receive all of the same information that the owner or his/her representative receives from the plan review section; This should assure that everyone involved with the project will be on the same page during construction. The local health authority will take this information and perform site inspections of the construction and then eventually a permitting inspection of the facility.

Is plan review required in South Carolina?

No, however it is a good idea to submit plans to avoid any last minute confusion before permitting. Any requirements of Regulation 61-25 that are not met will delay permitting and opening of the retail food establishment. Any construction items, such as a missing or misplaced handwashing sink, would be costly to have to change after the fact.

How and where do I deliver plans?

Plans may be submitted through the county health department, environmental health office for submission to our office. You can also send them directly to the Division of Food Protection. Our mailing address and location addresses are:

Postal Delivery
SC DHEC
Bureau of Environmental
Division of Food Protection
2600 Bull Street
Columbia, SC 29201

Location
SC DHEC
Division of Food Protection
State Park Health Center
8500 Farrow Road
Building #12

Is there an application and/or fee for a permit to operate the retail food establishment after all aspect of construction are done and we are ready to open?

Yes. An application to apply for a permit to operate must be submitted to the local health authority along with a scaled fee of $60.00 for all new applications. Once this is done a permit inspection is performed to assure that the retail food establishment is in compliance with Regulation 61-25. If the inspector is satisfied that the Regulation is being complied with, a permit to operate will be posted in the form of a grade. The fee is a yearly fee that after the initial fee will be determined on the amount of revenue taken in by the establishment. The lowest a fee will be at present is $60.00.

Resources available:

Training

The Division of Food Protection provides trains in a number of ways to both the food protection staff throughout the state of South Carolina as well as the food industry that it’s program regulates.

The time needed to train is never wasted when it comes to food safety. Knowledge of food safety and the elements that make up food protection could mean the difference between a foodborne illness and a safe dining experience.

Training is given to all environmental health food staff assigned to each region’s food protection program. An inspector will be tested through written examinations including a final test administered through the Division of Food Protection and then standardized in inspection capabilities before making inspections on their own. The continuing process to kept inspectors current in their inspection techniques is through a required annual standardization by their supervisors who themselves have to undergo annual standardization by the Division staff.

The division works closely with industry and other state programs to assure knowledge is available in all new and changing aspects of food safety.

Is food safety training mandatory before a retail food establishment can open for business?

No. It is highly recommended that individuals responsible for all aspects of a food facility be trained by management before opening as well as during the course of continuing operation. Numerous guides are available on the subject of food safety through the environmental health offices. Visual aides in the form of posters and signs showing proper procedures for washing hands, cleaning utensils and food contact surfaces, and temperatures required to cook foods and to hold foods (hot or cold) are available and will be posted in retail food establishments during inspections if needed.

See the ‘’Regulation/Division Resources’’ section of this website for these brochures, signs and posters.

Survey

The Division of Food Protection has the responsibility for providing assistance to regions/counties in their Food Protection Programs. Technical and training assistance is offered to all regions/counties and provided when requested. Training and technical assistance is based upon Regulation 61-25, Retail Food Establishments.

South Carolina is divided into 46 counties divided between 8 Regions, each of which has the responsibility of conducting a Retail Food Protection Program. A main effort of the Division of Food Protection is to achieve uniformity in inspections and interpretations of the governing regulations. Therefore, it is essential that the Food Protection Programs be subjected periodically to a formal, objective evaluation, to determine strengths and weaknesses, referred to as a ‘’survey’’.

The Division of Food Protection performs these survey evaluations to include field performance as well as the administrative performance of the region/county program. While the survey results are derived from an in-depth review of the Food Protection Program in a short time, use of the survey results as a tool by the region/county being evaluated will assist the managers/supervisors of this program in evaluating the objectives, capabilities, effectiveness, and overall management of the region/ county program.

Standardization

The Division of Food Protection provides standardization annually to each of the 8 Region Food Protection Supervisors in South Carolina and any other individuals chosen to assist the supervisor in standardization of their staff. Various division staff members involved in this standardization work are US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) certified allowing them to perform these duties and have gone through a comprehensive standardization of their own.

Standardization is a formal test of an individual’s interpretation of sanitation and food safety requirements in Regulation 61-25 and their use of the inspection report form. Standardization provides more accurate and uniform inspection results, and permits the individual to act more confidently and effectively on public health problems encountered in the food and retail food store establishments.

Region Food Protection Supervisor’s and others given the assignment to assist in standardization, pass on this standardization knowledge through annually standardization of their food protection staff in their regions using the same methods employed annually on them.

The process of standardization is meant to instill confidence and knowledge of requirements when making inspections with the overall goal being consistency and accuracy.

Dairy Foods & Soft Drink/Bottled Water Protection Program

Milk Protection

This Program provides health protection to the consumers of milk and milk products through a central office program which regulates all Grade A facilities in the state involved with production, hauling, processing, packaging, and distribution of these products. Health protection is accomplished through quarterly unannounced physical inspections of facilities and through laboratory testing of samples of raw and finished products and water supplies at the facilities. Compliance with strict sanitary standards is required of these facilities and products.

Frozen Dairy Foods

This Program provides health protection to the consumers of frozen dairy foods such as ice cream, frozen yogurts, frozen novelties, etc. through a central office program which is very similar to that found in milk protection.

Soft Drinks

This Program provides health protection to the consumers of soft drinks through a central office program which regulates the manufacture and bottling facilities located in South Carolina. Health protection is accomplished through quarterly unannounced physical inspections of the facilities. Compliance with strict sanitary standards is required of these facilities.

Bottled Water

This Program provides health protection for consumers of bottled water through a central office program which regulates all facilities in South Carolina which process and package these products. The construction and quality of source water facilities are inspected, tested, and permitted by DHEC's Environmental Quality Control Bureau of Water. The processing and bottling facilities are permitted by the Bureau of Environmental Health. Health protection is accomplished through quarterly unannounced physical inspections of the facilities. Annual samples are laboratory tested for a multitude of organic and inorganic properties and microorganisms.

Consumer Complaints

This Program provides investigative services and laboratory analyses of certain complaints involving foodborne illnesses believed to have been caused by consumption of milk, frozen dairy foods, soft drinks, or bottled water. For complaints involving quality issues, etc., the complainant is assisted in obtaining information needed to contact the manufacturer with their complaints. A report of findings is made to the complainant regarding products implicated in foodborne illnesses.

Staff

Responsibilities: To provide knowledge and resources to the regions in ensuring that retail food is safe and wholesome through inspection, training, and evaluation. Region concept of supervision and surveillance of restaurants, schools, retail food stores, temporary food service, etc.